Health Research – Developments



The health research mostly begins with clinical trials. They are conducted on patients who voluntarily take part in these trials. The main aims of the clinical trials are to prevent diseases and ensure effective treatments to accomplish complete cure from illness. Many thousands of patients participate every year, in clinical trials in the NHS of England.

How I can learn on developments of health research

When the number of persons contributing to clinical trials increase, the complexity in developing these trials is thinned out. People from all occupations should participate in clinical trials. This enables health research in meeting the needs of many. The research findings also become very reliable. The chances of implementing these findings increase.

If you want to contribute to the developmental activities of health research, many organisations and websites are available to provide you the required information. The website National Institute for Health Research provides you information on patients. They also have the information on the involvement of public in these activities.

The link People in Research helps you to get in touch with the organisations, which engage patients and public in these activities. They conclude on the activities. They help you to participate in the research. They inform the other section of people about the research.

Can I have details of such an organisation

There is an advisory group by name INVOLVE. It encourages involvement of public in the research related to health and social care, of the NHS. It provides you information on the procedures to participate in research. Some examples are as follows:

You can demonstrate the pattern of questions, to help researchers.
You can help in ensuring that the research has relevance to you and the other users.
You can participate in the research itself.

Through the website of this advisory group, you can come to know about others’ involvement in the research. This website has a public information pack that helps your involvement in the research. You can get from them a free copy of this pack. You can get their newsletter if you join their mailing list, and you can come across the opportunities for involving in research. You can also share with others, your experiences.

Other links of internet, related to health research:

If you want to update your knowledge with the most important developments in health research, you can click on James Lind Alliance. This gives you information on treatments and effects. This link enables co-ordination between patients and clinicians for identifying and prioritising the most important questions, which have no answer. The people who fund health researches need this information to know about the important needs of the patients and clinicians.

The internet link UK Clinical Research Network targets on improving patient care. It enables access to best treatments and furnishes detailed information on the procedures of involvement.

How health research benefits children

The National Institute of Health Research has its network, which develops effective and safe medicines for young people. Its partners offer treatments of specific design and development with licence that can benefit children. Most of the medicines meant for children are already tested on adults. Clinicians judge and decide on usage of these medicines in children. The Medicines for Children Research Network involves a large number of health professionals, representatives from drug manufacturing companies and children and their parents.

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