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8 May 2006
Recent events at Northwick Park hospital in London have raised public concern about clinical trials, and caused panic and scepticism over their safety. However, clinical trials are very much needed in order to develop and test new drug therapies for cancer sufferers.
At a special Café Scientifique event at the Tron Theatre tonight (Monday 8 May) in Glasgow, Jim Cassidy, Glasgow University Cancer Research UK Professor of Oncology and Director of both the Glasgow Trials Unit and the Cancer Trials Unit for Scotland, will reinforce the need to enrol patients to trials to better our understanding of this disease.
Professor Cassidy explains: “It is essential that we enrol patients to clinical trials as current drug therapy for cancer is inadequate, and there is a need to develop and test new agents. Enrolling new patients can be difficult and time consuming but is absolutely vital if we are to make progress in any area of medical treatment.”
The West of Scotland population are considered to be very co-operative to medical interventions but have a track record for poor health and social deprivation making some cancer therapies more problematic.
Despite this, Scotland has an excellent track record of laboratory and clinical cancer research, with excellent support from Cancer Research UK and other funding bodies.
The first Café Scientifique was established in a Leeds wine bar in 1998 by science programme maker Duncan Dallas, inspired by the cafés philosophiques initiated in France by the late Marc Sautet.
Glasgow’s very own Café Scientifique gatherings has been running for two years and has been organised by Professor Mandy McLean of the University of Glasgow’s Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, and writer and broadcaster Vanessa Collingridge.
Professor Mandy McLean explains: “The events at Northwick Park have raised public concerns about clinical trials and Café Scientifique is an extremely unique and entertaining opportunity for the public to directly discuss these concerns and other related issues.”
“Scots on trial as guinea pigs” will take place at the Victorian Bar at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow at 7pm on Monday 8 May.
For more information contact the University of Glasgow's Media Relations Office on .
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