Research staff celebrate International Clinical Trials Day

International Clinical Trials day was celebrated this week in University Hospital Galway. Clinical research nurses from the HRB Clinical Research facility and GUH Clinical Trials Department were available at information stand to discuss and highlight the importance of clinical trials, to provide information and answer any questions that patients had. International Clinical Trials Day commemorates the day on which James Lind started a historic trial in which he compared treatments for scurvy on May 20th 1747.

Speaking at Clinical Trials Day, Consultant Oncologist Dr. Maccon Keane said “Clinical trials are vital in learning and discovering new treatments for diseases and cancers such as breast cancer, as well as discovering new methods in detecting, diagnosing, and reducing risk of disease. Clinical trials give hard evidence to guarantee the benefits of new treatments and improves the outcomes for patients with cancer.”

Orlaith Cormican Research Nurse said, “The purpose of highlighting clinical trials in the hospital is to make more people aware of what they are, what is involved and dispel any myths that people may have about clinical trials". During the day, the staff carried out a “cupcake clinical trial study” which was used to give people a fun and visual representation of the randomisation process.

A new state of the art Clinical Research Facility, a joint project with National University of Ireland Galway and Saolta University Health Care Group, is currently almost completed in the grounds of University College Galway Hospital. This is a major development for both National University of Ireland Galway and Galway University Hospitals, as it will provide crucial infrastructure for both clinical and translational research”

Pictured at Clinical Trial Day in UHG are (from left to right): Caroline Kelly, Aideen O'Doherty, Ekaubne Byrnes, Olive Forde, Mary Byrne and Orlaith Cormican.