Clinical Research
In keeping with our philosophy of "Science Transforming Life," our clinical faculty not only provide the best care for their patients, but also they are very much involved in developing and evaluating new potential therapies.
Our clinical research programs include:
Search for current clinical trials.
Why is clinical research important?
Clinical research is critical to understanding diseases and improving treatment therapies. Through the years, National Jewish Health has conducted research leading to new and improved treatments for a number of respiratory, allergic and immune diseases. We have helped bring such drugs as Advair, Claritin and Xolair to market.
What is a clinical trial/study?
Clinical research studies aspire to answer specific questions related to a particular disease process. Some research studies focus on the quality of life patients experience while others compare the effectiveness of a particular drug. On the outer frontier of medicine is what is now referred to as "personalized medicine." This approach to healthcare encourages early diagnosis and treatment of diseases prior to the onset of symptoms by studying biomarkers and genes. National Jewish Health continues its world leadership in this cutting-edge gene and biomarker field of medical research.
Clinical research is conducted in phases.
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Phase I determines safe dosages of a new drug in a small human population.
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Phase II attempts to find out how well patients respond to certain treatments. If enough patients respond positively, the study will go on to the next level.
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Phase III enrolls a large number of patients (sometimes thousands worldwide) to test drug efficacy and safety.
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Phase IV research requires that a control group receive standard therapy while another group receives the new drug.
Before entering a trial, patients are counseled on the risks and benefits of study participation. Patients give their informed consent and can withdraw from a study at any time. A person's clinical research participation status does not affect the level or quality of care they will receive.
Besides the FDA, who else oversees clinical research trials?
An independent safety committee called an Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversees medical research. The IRB is made up of scientists, physicians and nurses unassociated with the actual research. Once approved, clinical trials are followed closely and progress is reviewed systematically.
