Research

Health Research Studies

Over 24,000 patients and healthy members of the public take part in clinical research in the South West of England. A significant number hear about the opportunity to participate in a health research study through their GP and are recruited to a study run by their local practice.

*** See below for currently recruiting Studies ***

There are rigorous processes in place, including a review by an NHS Research Ethics Committee, to protect the rights, dignity, safety and wellbeing of participants in research.

Clinical trials
Clinical trials are research studies in which people help test treatments or approaches to prevention or diagnosis of health conditions to evaluate whether they are safe and effective.

Each trial is designed to keep risk to a minimum. Research active health professionals can only ask people to take part in a study who are suitable for the treatments.

Clinical trials are one stage of long and thorough health research. Trials are carried out in carefully planned phases, allowing researchers to ask and answer questions in a way to provide reliable information in the best interests of the participants.

Trials are an important part of the process the NHS goes through in making decisions about which approaches to prevent, diagnose or treat conditions should be made available to the public.

Research study participants say benefits of taking part include:

• Learning more about their health condition and how best to manage it
• Feeling empowered
• Access to the very latest treatments
• Feeling good knowing helping others even if not going to necessarily reap the benefits directly themselves
• Satisfaction of contributing to medical advances
• Reassured health care professionals are doing their best for their patients
• Reassured by closer monitoring of their health condition
• Research gives hope

To find out what clinical research studies are running

 NIHR-clinical-trials-guide (national database held by the National Institute for Health Research (NHR) which is the research arm of the NHS.

Or ask your doctor or nurse treating you if there are any suitable opportunities for your participation in research studies at this practice.

Currently Recruiting Studies

METEOR2 Study
A study for people who have had some meniscus (cushioning cartilage) removed from their knee, don’t have diagnosed arthritis of the knee but still have pain more than 6 months afterwards. For more information METEOR2_Participant Flyer

Impulse Study
A paid study examining impulse control in Parkinson’s disease. Seeking individuals with Parkinson’s disease who are either:
i) not yet taking medication
OR
ii) taking ropinirole as part of their medications (also known as
Requip, Repinex, Aimpart, Ippinia, Ralnea, Raponer, Ropilynz,
Ropiqual and Spiroco). For more information IMPULSE_Study_Leaflet

More-Kare

If you have an alcohol use disorder and are ready to stop drinking, or have already done so, you may be eligible to take part in the More-Kare trial. The study requires having three infusions of the study drug alongside psychological support. For more information https://sites.exeter.ac.uk/morekare/