RPSG Clinical Trials Awareness

The Renal Patient Support Group (RPSG) is an Evidence-Based support group and defined as a ‘place’ where awareness and research meet. Patients going through renal disease go through various stages of this disease and long-term condition; patients may be invited to participate in a clinical trial to understand if a treatment or intervention benefits patient care as part of the ongoing and anticipated healthcare being received. Where new medicines are being discovered, trials are implemented in four phases to test their safety, efficacy and whether they really work. Medicines will usually be tests against a control (also termed placebo) or standard form of treatment already in use (i.e. mainstay therapy).

Clinical trials help scientists and clinicians understand how to treat illnesses. The advantages of being involved in a clinical trial is that in the future, it may benefit you, or others like you. If you take part in a clinical trial, you may be one of the first people to benefit from a new treatment. But there’s also a chance that the new treatment turns out to be no better, or worse, than the standard treatment. The UK Clinical Trials Gateway (UKCTG) website has information about clinical trials and other research from several different UK registers. You can find out more by visiting https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/
The RPSG does not endorse any specific clinical trials. However, it is always worth asking your renal team if there is a clinical trial you could be involved in. Your renal team may otherwise approach you, in which case it is always good to keep the lines of communication open.

Find out more about Clinical Trials, 
Visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/clinical-trials/

Additionally, find out about the work of UK Renal Trials Network (UKRTN)

https://renal.org/interest-groups-partners/uk-renal-trials-network/

Kindly also note that the RPSG does not have any affiliation with any of the above organisations.