​

Clinical trials in the UK:

 

In 2016-2017 670,000 patients enrolled into 4700 NHS led trials. The last decade has seen a five-fold increase in clinical trial enrolment making the UK the third highest participating country in the world.

Enrolling in a trial offers access to medical treatments several years before they would otherwise be available and without the high costs associated to the NHS. At PI we remove the barriers to accessing these therapies, offering a solution to patients, healthcare providers and clinical trial coordinators, allowing them all to share in the enrolment process.

​

​

The PI process in Clinical Trial enrolment

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

Patient access

 

Clinical trial participation should be an option to all patients in the NHS, as participation is associated with better patient outcomes. Although they are experimental and yet to be subject to approval by medical regulators5; trials are subject to strict regulation when it comes to safety and ethical validity.

The NHS aims for every willing patient to be able to take part. However, currently only 1/3rd of patients have clinical trials discussed with them and those who do, find information difficult to access and understand. 

At PI we believe that this information should be 1 click away for patients and not limited to where they live. Our easy to use platform will provide this information in an easily understandable format and guided by patient specific needs to enable patients to make the best decisions regarding their treatments.

 

The role of clinical professionals

 

Giving patients more access to clinical trials supports innovation and drives medical research in the NHS. The Nation Institute for Heath Research wishes to improve access to trials beyond the centres where a patient is being treated. Informing Doctors and other healthcare professionals of trials at a national and international level allows more access to treatments that may be better suited to individual patients. PI allows this access by matching patient specific markers to trials based in the UK and abroad. This enables healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care to ensure the best possible therapies for their patients. Furthermore, by allowing patient involvement in the decision making process PI ensures no decision about a patient without a patient.

 

 

 

1. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/05/nhs-clinical-trials-other-countries-envious-getting-results (Accessed 03/03/2019)

2. Allmark, C. (2013). Action on access: Widening patient participation in clinical trials. [ebook] pp.1-32. Available at: https://www.ncri.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2012-NCRI-Action-on-access-report.pdf [Accessed 4 Mar. 2019].

3. Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2013) Novel neurotechnologies: intervening in the brain; Pullman D, Zarzeczny A, and Picard A (2013) Media, politics and science policy: MS and evidence from the CCSVI trenches BMC Med Ethics 14:6.

4. Department of Health (2010) Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS, UK: Stationery Office Limited http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117353

5. Caplan AL, et al. (2018) Fair, just and compassionate: A pilot for making allocation decisions for patients requesting experimental drugs outside of clinical trials J Med Ethics 44: 761-7.