Clinical Research at Hunterdon Medical Center

Clinical research is a key step in the development of new therapies for the treatment of many conditions, including menopause, diabetes, dementia, osteoporosis, Lyme disease, asthma and allergies. Hunterdon Medical Center's physician practices now have the ability to participate in these very important trials.

This expansion of research capabilities comes on the heels of the success of the Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center, which already boasts an impressive clinical research program through its affiliation with Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a clinical trial is "a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines, new therapies, or new ways of using known treatments." Clinical trials (also called medical research or research studies) are used to ensure that drugs or treatments are safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find successful treatments.

Clinical trials are conducted in four phases. Hunterdon Medical Center physicians will focus their research efforts on Phases III and IV.

What do clinical research studies mean to you as a potential participant? Better research means better care, and research trials bring leading edge research to Hunterdon County. And since New Jersey is home to dozens of pharmaceutical companies involved in global research, Hunterdon County residents can be part of exciting improvements in the way care is provided. For more information about clinical research at Hunterdon Medical Center, contact Sandra Siegel, RN Practice Clinical Research Coordinator at (908) 237-5475.

FOUR PHASES DEFINED

Clinical trials are conducted in phases. The trials at each phase have a different purpose and help scientists answer different questions:

In Phase I trials, researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people (20-80) for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.

In Phase II trials, the study drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people (100-300) to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.

In Phase III trials, the study drug or treatment is given to large groups of people (1,000-3,000) to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.

In Phase IV trials, post marketing studies delineate additional information including the drug's risks, benefits, and optimal use.

To find out more about the strides in research that are being made in clinical research, visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the National Institutes of Health developed by the National Library of Medicine.

Hunterdon Practice Research Partners

Hunterdon Medical Center's Clinical Research Coordinator Sandra Siegel, R.N. works with Hunterdon Medical Center's employed physician practices as a liaison between pharmaceutical companies and organizations sponsoring studies and participating physicians.

Current and past studies: New drug treatments for uncontrolled diabetes, pre-clinical blood collection study (to identify possible future therapies for Type 1 diabetes), an observational data-collection study of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, an outcomes registry for children given prophylaxis treatment for RSV (a lung infection affecting infants), and an acellular DPT (Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus) vaccine study.

Our physicians are board certified in family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry. We also have board certified sub-specialists in pediatric and adult sports medicine, diabetes and endocrinology, developmental pediatrics, geriatrics, geriatric psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry.

If you are interested in learning more about clinical research opportunities at Hunterdon Practice Research Partners, contact: Sandra H. Siegel, R.N., 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822. Phone: (908) 237-5475 or Fax: (908) 237-5439.

Hunterdon Medical Center is affiliated with Hunterdon Healthcare Partners, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey RWJ Medical School, and Fox Chase Cancer Center. The Medical Center and practices are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.