CISCRP

Huh? CISCRP? Is that a word?

No, it is the acronym for a non-profit organization I'd like to highlight. Then you'll have it in the back pocket of your brain in case you ever need it for yourself or someone you love.

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) has a vision: to become "the public's primary and most trusted resource for education about clinical trials."

I was fortunate to be a physician in 1993 when I was diagnosed with my second recurrence. Unlike the average survivor, I knew about clinical trials and was able to enroll as the fifteenth and last patient in a promising Phase I clinical trial of monoclonal antibodies. The researcher, Dr. Levy, discusses my small part in the research in a YouTube video at Stanford University Medical Center.  

Nowadays you don't need to be a physician to gain access to information and support regarding the treatment option of clinical trials (for any ailment, and not just cancer). The National Institutes of Health helps patients learn about and pursue clinical trials (www.clinicaltrials.gov). Disease-specific organizations often guide patients to clinical trials, too. CISCRP helps patients both directly and indirectly by:

• educating, informing and empowering patients, the public, medical and research professionals, the media and policymakers.
• promoting greater awareness and understanding of clinical research participation and the role that it plays in public health.
• facilitating more effective collaboration among all members of the clinical research enterprise.
• providing resources for the research community to better understand the study volunteer.

Next time the issue of clinical trials comes up, take a few minutes to visit the CISCRP website and learn about trials in general and trials applicable to your situation.

Comments

[Diane Simmons]

Dr. Harpham was a wonderful speaker at several of CISCRP's free public education programs and told the poignant story of her experiences as a clinical research volunteer. She made the audience laugh and cry from her profound messages about life and dealing with illness. She taught the audience so much about the clinical research process. We are grateful for her ongoing support of our nonprofit organization and her commitment to public education. We believe Dr. Harpham is a true Medical Hero.

[Finn]

I've heard you speak twice at CISCRP events in Boston, and always hope to see your name on the program. I haven't found a clinical trial that I'm appropriate for yet, but I keep looking. And for anyone who's never been but has a CISCRP event nearby, check it out; they're fun and interesting and you get a free lunch.