NIHR celebrates Kent, Surrey and Sussex TrialBlazers on International Clinical Trials Day

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is marking International Clinical Trials Day 2022 with the launch of TrialBlazers - a campaign celebrating the thousands of people who take part in, and support trials and studies across the UK.

Last year, 73,260 people from across Kent, Surrey and Sussex volunteered to participate in 545 health and care studies supported by the NIHR. These TrialBlazers made a vital contribution to our knowledge and understanding of diseases and conditions including COVID-19, cancer, diabetes, mental health and dementia.

One NIHR TrialBlazer is Robert Lane, 73, a retired electrical engineer from Berkshire. Robert has taken part in a number of prostate cancer studies at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust in Guildford, and says that engaging in research has been important in a number of ways:

“From my point of view as a participant, I see the true value of research,” he said. “Most importantly, being part of research means you are helping others. You are part of a team that is investigating and discovering new treatments, which could help other people for generations to come.

“Being part of research also helps you to better understand your own diagnosis. A better understanding of what is happening to you can really improve your own mentality and attitude to life.”

TrialBlazers like Robert are now helping the NIHR to encourage even more people to be part of research.

“We are enormously proud of the thousands of TrialBlazers who volunteered for clinical trials last year, and we hope that next year this number will grow even higher,” said Dr Joanne Zamani, Chief Operating Officer, NIHR Clinical Research Network Kent, Surrey and Sussex. “Our experience during the pandemic has highlighted to everyone just how important health and care research really is.

“For example, we really appreciate the incredible commitment shown by the wonderful TrialBlazers who made it possible for research teams across Kent, Surrey and Sussex to carry out essential trials on COVID-19 vaccines.

“This is just one of countless examples where our TrialBlazers have contributed to life saving treatments. We want to build on this incredible base, and encourage everyone, whatever their background, to be part of research - whether in hospital settings or in their communities.”

The NIHR recently changed its name from the National Institute for Health Research, to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, in order to better reflect that number of health and care research projects being carried out outside of clinical settings. The NIHR works with schools, care homes and community groups around the country, reaching far beyond the hospital setting. This offers many more opportunities for future TrialBlazers to join the NIHR in its mission to improve everyone’s quality of life and care.

If you are not eligible to take part in a study, you could still contribute in other ways. There are opportunities to review research, critique approaches or be involved in supporting the conduct and promotion of research.