European Charter Launch for the Rights of Older People in Clinical Trials
1 February 2010
Austria
Research findings will be presented of systematic reviews of the literature, surveys with health professionals working with older people, and focus groups with patients and carers.
PREDICT, which is coordinated by the Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield, (MERCS) UK, has been carried out in nine countries: UK, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Israel and the Czech Republic.
This important international event should be of interest to all those involved in the health of older people and in clinical trials. It will be held on Monday, 1st February, 2010.
Press briefing: 9:15
Scientific program: 10:30 – 17:00
at The Courtyard Suite, BMA House, London.
Background
It is essential to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of drugs. And clinical trials need to take into account issues relevant to the older population, i.e. changed metabolism, multiple chronic conditions and polypharmacy. Research findings will be presented of systematic reviews of the literature, surveys with health professionals working with older people, and focus groups with patients and carers.
Come and hear evidence of exclusion of older people from systematic reviews for the following conditions that occur commonly in old age: heart failure, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, depression and colorectal cancer. For example, 44% of patients with first diagnosis of hypertension are aged over 70, yet the mean age of patients in clinical trials for hypertension is 63.5 years.
And even though more that 90% of geriatricians, GPs, nurses, ethicists, pharmacists and trialists surveyed agreed that under-representation causes difficulties for both prescribers and patients, this appears to be a common phenomenon.
What are the perceptions of older people? Is the available information on clinical trials clear enough? Should they have trials specifically geared for their needs?
PREDICT, which is coordinated by the Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield, (MERCS) UK, has been carried out in nine countries: UK, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Israel and the Czech Republic.
This important international event should be of interest to all those involved in the health of older people and in clinical trials. It will be held on Monday, 1st February, 2010.
Press briefing: 9:15
Scientific program: 10:30 – 17:00
at The Courtyard Suite, BMA House, London.
Background
It is essential to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of drugs. And clinical trials need to take into account issues relevant to the older population, i.e. changed metabolism, multiple chronic conditions and polypharmacy. Research findings will be presented of systematic reviews of the literature, surveys with health professionals working with older people, and focus groups with patients and carers.
Come and hear evidence of exclusion of older people from systematic reviews for the following conditions that occur commonly in old age: heart failure, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, depression and colorectal cancer. For example, 44% of patients with first diagnosis of hypertension are aged over 70, yet the mean age of patients in clinical trials for hypertension is 63.5 years.
And even though more that 90% of geriatricians, GPs, nurses, ethicists, pharmacists and trialists surveyed agreed that under-representation causes difficulties for both prescribers and patients, this appears to be a common phenomenon.
What are the perceptions of older people? Is the available information on clinical trials clear enough? Should they have trials specifically geared for their needs?
Keywords
Public Health, Gerontology, Clinical Trials