A Website To Match SCI Patients With Clinical Trials
For the past eight years I have been intimately involve with the spinal cord injury research foundation, Wings For Life. As a member of the Board of Directors, USA, I have known about many exciting clinical trials and projects that have all shown promise in one way or another. One project I’ve been particularly excited about curates all clinical trials and connects them to us, the public, and those living with an SCI.
From my experience, I’d say that most people suffering from a spinal cord injury are typically interested in clinical trials as a hopeful way of improving their return of function and overall recovery. Scientists and researchers on the other hand, are vigorously looking for suitable trial participants. That is why a solution to connect these two groups is, and has been, so desperately needed.
So, without further ado, I’m please to share the SCI Trials Finder!
The SCI Trials Finder website matches people with spinal cord injuries and clinical trials. It helps people to easily locate, understand and participate in clinical trials that fit their situation.
- Trials are carefully curated by experienced clinical investigators
- They are written in common language
- Participants receive instant notifications about new trials without registration and
- Seamless contact to trial locations through a secure form
The SCI Trial Finder is an evolution of the work that Dr. Daniel Lammertse started in the 1980s. He is the medical director for Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado and originally began this work by offering all patients with spinal cord injury a monthly lecture on the latest research. His lectures were eventually supported by detailed charts that listed all SCI trials registered on clinicaltrials.gov, the world’s largest clinical trial registry.
Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor (SCOPE) was created in 2006 to improve SCI medicine, validate therapies and develop clinical trials. SCOPE used Dr. Lammertse’s original clinical trial charts and adapted them to a digital, online format.
Flash forward to today where we have a growing need for a more user-friendly website to bring the ever increasing volumes of clinical trials and information to patients, clinicians and researchers worldwide.
Although Wings For Life initiated, led and funded the new version of the SCI Trials Finder website, it is not the only supporter of this massive undertaking; several other entities joined in on the development including ASIA, Craig H. Neilson Foundation, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, International foundation for Research in Paraplegia, International Spinal Research Trust, and Praxis.
Here are the links to learn more:
I have progressive MS and I find it hard sometimes to have a positive attitude. How do you reach out to others?
