Research

We believe it is important to offer our patients the opportunity to benefit from participation in ‘cutting edge’ health research. We have been involved in research for over 25 years and have a dedicated and enthusiastic research team.

As a research active practice we routinely screen electronic patient records to identify those who may be eligible to participate in research. A member of the research team may contact you if this is the case.

Meet the team

  • Dr Graham Toms principle investigator/ sub investigator
  • Dr Kate Northridge principle investigator/ sub investigator
  • Karen Rudge research nurse coordinator
  • Alexandra Parkinson research nurse
  • Dawn Diprose research nurse
  • Bridget Aire research assistant

We work as part of a group of primary care research teams called the Cornwall Clinical Research Group. We are proud winners of the ‘Embedding Research Culture Award 2019’, Highly commended in CRN Research Practice Award 2020, and received Bronze Award in The Pharma Times International Clinical Researcher Awards 2021.

Background

Over 20,000 patients take part in health research in the South West of England each year. Many patients hear about the opportunity to participate in research through their GP and are recruited by their local practice.

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.

For more information about these standards and how patient information is used in research, please visit www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients. For further information regarding how your NHS data may be used for research and planning, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.

Why do we do research?

  • 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 can give hope to people with rare or difficult to treat illnesses

What are clinical trials?

Clinical trials are research studies which look at new treatments or approaches to the prevention or diagnosis of health conditions to confirm whether they are safe and effective.

Clinical trials are carried out in carefully planned phases, allowing researchers to answer specific research questions to provide reliable information in the best interests of participants.

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

For more information, please visit the National Institute for Health and Care Research website.

Active studies at Oak Tree and Pensilva

Liberate003-007

An open label extension phase 3 study to evaluate the long term efficacy and safety of LIB003 in patients with homozygous and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, cardiovascular disease, or at high risk of cardiovascular disease, on stable lipid-lowering therapy requiring addition low density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction.

Recruitment closed. In follow up phase.

Ionis Core Tryglicerides

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase-3 study of ISIS678354 subcutaneous injection for patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia.

Recruitment closed, in follow-up phase.

Kardia 2

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zilebesiran and add-on therapy in patients with inadequately controlled hypertension with standard of care antihypertensive medication.

Recruitment closed, follow up complete.

Victorian-1 Prevent

A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled multicentre study to evaluate the effect of Inclisiran on preventing major adverse cardiovascular events in high-risk primary prevention patients.

Actively recruiting.

Yellow Card Biobank

A Genomic study on DOACS and severe bleeding.

Some of our completed studies

  • HARMONIE – A phase 3 open label study of nirsevimab (versus no intervention) in preventing hospitalisations due to RSV in infants.
  • CLOVER – Trial of a vaccine against Clostridium Difficile.
  • SAFER – Screening for Atrial Fibrillation with ECG to reduce stroke.
  • ORION-11 – A placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effect of 300mg of Inclisaran sodium subcutaneous injections in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and elevated high cholesterol (LDL-C)
  • BICS – A randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of the effectiveness of the beta-blocker bisoprolol in preventing exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Further information

For further information about these studies or if you would like to be involved in research please contact:

To find out about other national clinical research studies please visit www.ukctg.nihr.ac.uk. This is a national database held by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) which is the research arm of the NHS. For further information regarding how you can take part in research, please visit www.bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk

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