New PET CT scanner unveiled at University College Hospital
10 October 2024
Publish date: 07 April 2020
All other studies, unless they involve treatment essential for serious or life-threatening conditions, have been paused. The NIHR biomedical research centre at UCLH is fast tracking Covid-19 study approvals and redeploying staff in a bid to fight the virus.
UCLH is working on a wide range of trials, some trialling new or repurposed treatments, some observing how the disease develops, and others collating information to get a wider picture on the course of the disease. Some studies have been initiated by UCLH and UCL, and others are part of national and international work.
The research includes:
Around 10% of existing clinical research at UCLH is still running because it involves patients whose health could be seriously put at risk if they were withdrawn from their trial drug.
The UCLH Research Directorate’s Covid-19 Response Group is encouraging the rapid submission of Covid-19 research proposals and is fast-tracking approvals and funding for prioritised studies. The group also considers the compassionate use of experimental treatments for COVID-19 patients where appropriate.
Professor Bryan Williams, director of the Biomedical Research Centre at UCLH, Physician and UCL Professor of Medicine, said: “As you would expect from a leading academic centre and NHS hospital, we have so many scientific proposals and ideas for studies coming through, many from clinicians and clinical academics at the frontline, working hard for their patients. Because this is a new disease it has never been more important for academia embedded in the clinical service to take forward learnings from our research in real time and hopefully develop game-changing treatments for the most seriously ill patients.”
The BRC has gathered together a research delivery team and more than 40 research nurses, midwives, data analysts and support staff across UCLH specialties have responded to a call to be redeployed to support the Covid-19 studies.
BRC managing director Dr Nick McNally said: “We are incredibly grateful to the research staff who have responded to our call for support and who have come forward in great numbers to deliver this vital portfolio of studies. We also thank the managers who have freed up staff time to focus on this global effort.”
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