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by Cindy Abole
Public Relations
Lowcountry residents and South Carolinians of all ages now have a
chance to play a more active role with their health and improve medical
research by participating in the MUSC Heroes campaign. The program was
launched Oct. 5 and will extend to April 2010.
Developed through MUSC’s South Carolina Clinical and Translational
Research Institute (SCTR) Support Center for Clinical and Translational
Science (Success), the program partnered with the Center for
Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) in
2009 to initiate this effort. CISCRP is a non-profit group focused on
educating the public, medical or research communities and policy makers
about clinical research participation.
According to CISCRP, more than 3 million people participate in industry
and government-sponsored clinical trials to help advance medical
science, contribute to new therapies and medical treatments. It’s
estimated that three out of four people know little or have no
knowledge about the value of clinical research activity and the
participation process. Because of this, an estimated 90 percent of
clinical trials are delayed due to low volunteer enrollment.
Founded in 2003, CISCRP established the Medical Heroes campaign, an
evidence-based effort that promotes clinical research participation.
This campaign was piloted at 18 national health science institutions
and resulted in an increase of volunteer study participants by as much
as 140 percent.
In June, MUSC’s Success Center partnered with CISCRP’s campaign and
established MUSC Heroes as a way to raise public awareness among
Lowcountry and statewide residents about the value of clinical trials
research and increase enrollment connecting participants with active
researchers using an easy, navigatable Web site, phone lines and other
resources. The Success Center’s recruitment core is led by recruitment
core director Teresa Kelechi, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor, College
of Nursing, and Jenelle Quenneville, recruitment and community
engagement coordinator.
“There are numerous studies in clinical research where we need more
patient participation,” said Kelechi. “As an academic health science
center, we do a great job serving our own research community. We now
need to turn our focus on our respective communities in the Tri-county
and beyond to reach out to people who need information and want to find
a study related to a chronic disease or other medical condition. It is
through this work that better treatments and therapies can be
developed. There is also room for healthy individuals who want to give
back to health care. The heroes campaign is part of a new awareness
strategy that sets the stage for the public to feel empowered about
being an active participant in clinical research studies.”
Across the country, clinical research participation has steadily
declined. Volunteers are needed among minority ethnic groups,
especially among African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians.
“We need variety. We can’t have a one-sized treatment for all people
when it comes to advancing medical science through clinical research.
We need representation from diverse populations in our community so
that medicine can be tailored to patients. Everyone is needed,” said
Kelechi.
Federal government and institutional guidelines control safety and a
variety of other aspects relating to human research as part of clinical
trials. On an institutional level, researchers work closely with MUSC’s
Institutional Review Board to provide regulatory oversight, approval
and verification of clinical trials work. They collaborate with the
Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health and other
agencies and organizations prior to working with research study
participants. Recruitment for the MUSC Heroes campaign involves the
efforts of all researchers, investigators, lab and study personnel. The
Success Center offers the research community consultation
services, investigator tool kits, access to using the Clinical Trials
Registry, CISCRP campaign resources and shared methodologies from the
Clinical and Translation Science Award member institutions.
The benefits for participating in human research studies can include
free medications, assessments via medical exams, tests or supplies
related to the study, and in some cases monetary compensation.
“Anyone can participate in research,” said Quenneville. “Studies
involve males, females, infants, children and teens of any age, plus
adults and seniors. All are invited to get involved. The Clinical
Studies Registry maintains a list of research studies that is updated
daily.”
Earlier this month, the Success Center launched elements of CISCRP’s
Medical Hero Campaign sending out positive messages and details about
the values of study participation using billboards, print advertising,
radio, TV ads and Podcasts that lead the public to a phone number or
Web site for more information. This portion of the campaign will
continue until January 2010. From February to April 2010, the campaign
will shift again and focus on specific MUSC Heroes efforts.
People who call about MUSC Heroes will be directed to a 24/7 phone
tree, 876-HERO, which is organized by diseases and other health
topics. Users are connected via the phone tree to
researchers/investigators working on active research studies in
departments, divisions, offices and labs across campus. The phone tree
is organized by research study topic, a brief summary of the research
work and contact information. Studies are submitted and updated by
participating researchers.
“Our ultimate hope is to change attitudes and beliefs, increase
enrollment in studies and promote participation,” said Kelechi. “There
are so many benefits to gain on an individual, family and community
level. We also need multiple participation in familial research studies
to assist families who are generationally at-risk for a specific
disease or condition, such as breast cancer or other condition.”
For information about MUSC Heroes, call 792-8300 or visit http://www.muscHERO.org.
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
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