Notable Clinical Trial Facilities in the Sunshine State
As the state with the third largest number of active clinical trial facilities in the nation, Florida continues to be a leader in the medical research industry. This state also possesses a highly diverse participant population which has proven to be very beneficial for the variety of clinical studies which are conducted there. Plus, these participants are given access to top of the line medical equipment and treatments, which could provide a level of benefit that they have never experienced with conventional medicine.
Ongoing Clinical Trials in Florida
Since 2010 the Nemours Children’s Clinic has been conducting a phase 4 clinical study of children’s asthma and the effective use of nasal steroids. Steroid treatments have been brought under question in recent years due to their reported side effects, and currently there are a number of research teams around the country conducting comprehensive tests on these treatments. This study has been open to children of both gender ages 6 and up, but they are not enrolling any healthy volunteers. All accepted participants need to have been diagnosed with asthma by a qualified physician.
Elsewhere, the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is currently in the middle of conducting a number of important clinical trials in South Florida. One of these being their longitudinal study of ocular complications involved in AIDS patients. Scientists were interested in monitoring various trends in these patients over time, especially in the incidence of CMV retinitis and other ocular complications associated with AIDS. During this study, researchers will be determining the overall effect of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) on the immune system of patients. This has been an incredibly extensive study which has been ongoing since 1999, but they are still recruiting new participants.
Interestingly, the University Of Miami School Of Medicine is also about to complete its own long-term adult AIDS clinical trial. Since the turn of the millennium, the UM School of Medicine has been collecting data on participants who have been living with AIDS for several years. The main purpose of this study is to identify which combinations of anti-HIV medications are the most effective in patients who receive treatment for a period of several years. During the study, medical researchers have also been looking to record the occurrence of side effects in the patients who had low viral loads compared to those who possess higher viral loads.
Other Notable Clinical Trial Facilities in Florida
The Orlando Clinical Research Center (OCRC) specializes in conducting phase I-IV clinical trials on experimental medications which are being developed by various biotech and pharmaceutical companies. As of now, this site is offering a wide range of research studies and trials which are actively enrolling new participants. These clinical trials are imperative in order to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these new drugs and therapies in human beings. Participants at OCRC will receive all study related medical care and treatments free of charge, and some people may actually be compensated for time and travel.
Now, Jacksonville has a large number of clinical trial facilities, but one of the leading sites definitely has to be Acclaim Pharma Research, Inc. Their staff has expertise in a broad range of therapeutic areas (everything from Oncology and Endocrinology to Dermatology and Psychiatry) giving them the ability to conduct a wide range of clinical studies for a demanding client base. Dr. Aditya Gupta is the acting lead investigator at Acclaim, and he holds a board certification in Dermatology. With his extensive experience in conducting clinical trials, he has provided prudent leadership for this Jacksonville clinical trial facility.
Florida Medical Research: Paving the Way!
As we progress into this new millennium, Florida will continue to play a pivotal role in advancing medical research. With continued support, medical researchers will be able to develop a whole class of new medications which could make a huge difference in lives of many people who are affected by serious medical conditions.