Mid-Ohio Heart Research Foundation
The Mid-Ohio Heart Research Foundation was established in 2001 with the intent of providing new and innovative treatment options to our community. Formed specifically for the purpose of evaluating new ways to diagnose and treat heart disease, our physicians actively participate as "Principal Investigators" in many important clinical studies. "Quality is at the Heart of Everything we do" refers not only to our direct clinical care, but to the cutting edge research through the Mid-Ohio Heart Research Foundation. We have participated in more than 30 different studies, including the highly publicized "Drano for the heart" study.
Types of Studies
Clinical studies are categorized in "phases" which indicates how much testing has been completed. A phase 1 or 2 represents an early investigational study whereas a phase 4 usually represents a market or confirmatory study. Although the Foundation is involved with studies at all levels, a large majority of these studies are early phase investigational. Our involvement in these early studies supports our belief in participating in important research that ultimately allows us to provide high quality care to our patients.
Safety to our Patients
To protect the safety of our patients, several levels of protection are put in place for each clinical study. First, approval must be obtained from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) by the clinical study sponsor. The sponsor is often a pharmaceutical or medical equipment company. The FDA remains involved throughout the process. Second, our physicians review the clinical requirements of the study to determine the potential benefits to patients. Third, by law, an Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews each proposed clinical study, and maintains oversight throughout the study. The IRB is comprised of physicians, administrators and community lay persons, and functions solely to protect the safety of the patients enrolled in the clinical study. Most of our clinical studies are governed by the local IRB coordinated by MedCentral Health System. The sponsor requires frequent reports and updates on the clinical study status and patient outcomes. The FDA, sponsor, IRB or the Foundation has the authority and will immediately discontinue a clinical study at any time if patient safety is a concern. Each patient who participates in a study must review and sign an "Informed Consent" document that has all of the study information and potential risks.
Current Clinical Studies
Mid-Ohio Heart Research Foundation is currently involved in over 15 clinical studies. Studies that are open to enrollment include patients with symptoms of chest pain, heart attack, cholesterol management, and heart failure. We also have studies for patients undergoing stress tests, coronary stent placements and pacemaker and defibrillator device implants.
The Mid-Ohio Heart Research Foundation continuously receives information on the latest investigational drugs and devices, and is pleased to be able to offer opportunities for patient involvement to our community. Please realize that not all patients will qualify for studies due to certain clinical restrictions associated with each study. Please contact us if you are interested in possible participation in a clinical study, or if you would like to learn more about the current investigations being conducted by the Mid-Ohio Heart Research Foundation.
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