The importance of clinical trials and public involvement in them is being highlighted by The Manchester Mental Health and Social Trust.
An initiative to encourage participation is being used to mark International Clinical Trials Day which is celebrated on May 20 every year.
According to the trust, clinical trials are one of the best ways of improving NHS treatments for both physical and mental health issues.
Professor Damien Longson, the Trust’s Director of Research & Innovation, said: “We are delighted to support International Clinical Trials Day as the rapid translation of research into practice depends almost totally on individuals taking part in research studies, trials and pilots.’’
The trust is already one of the north’s most successful research organisations in the field of mental health.
During 2011-2012, nearly 2,400 individuals supported research and development within the trust, resulting in one of the highest participation rates in the country.
Likewise, the National Institute For Health Research (NIHR) is launching the ‘Okay to Ask’ campaign.
The awareness-raising campaign is designed to encourage people to be inquisitive about clinical trials and put themselves forward where appropriate.
Professor Longson said: ‘’We applaud the NIHR’s ‘Okay to Ask’ campaign and will make sure that all Trust teams are able to talk confidently about the work that we do, answer queries and clearly signpost sources of further information.”
The trust enjoys a close working relationship with Manchester’s universities.
Already, work carried out by its research team has informed national guidelines on the treatment of several disorders, including Borderline Personality Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
May 20 is used as International Clinical Trials Day at it commemorates the day the James Lind started his trial, widely regarded as the first.
While serving on HMS Salisbury in 1747 he introduced control groups into his experiments which looked at how to treat scurvy.
His scurvy patients were given the same general diet but this was supplemented with different items, including cider, elixir vitriol, vinegar, seawater, nutmeg and oranges and lemons.
In six days, those patients taking citrus fruits were fit for duty.
Lind then made the crucial link between citrus fruits in the diet and the prevention of scurvy.
Image courtesy of NHSbt1, via YouTube, with thanks.
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