Healthtalkonline covers clinical trials

Two patient-focussed web-sites have launched new resources to document people’s experiences of clinical trials.

The Healthtalkonline and Youthhealthtalk sites were both launched in 2008 to give patients who feel isolated because of their conditions a place to read and hear about the experiences of other patients.

They include videos, audio clips and transcripts of people talking about their conditions. Now, they have been expanded to include sections on people's experiences of clinical trials.

The new material includes interviews with parents and children on how they found out about trials, why they decided to take part - or not to take part, and how they got on.

The Department of Health’s chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said she hoped the new sections would help to increase the number of clinical trials for children.

“Children have their own specific needs and we need more trials in children to be sure that we are getting the best treatments that work for them and aren’t just relying on adult trials.

“These two new sections will be a valuable resource to help other families thinking about taking part in a trial to make a more informed choice, and to learn more about trial methods and what they can expect if they take part.”