Diabetes Clinical Trial Update

Time for an update on what’s new in the area of diabetic clinical trials.

A clinical trial is scientific research involving people that studies the effects of a new medication, therapy or device to determine if it is safe and effective.

For more information on what a clinical trial is, see the Battling Diabetes archives on clinical trials.

Currently enrolling clinical trials of interest to diabetics:

The University of California at San Francisco, Diabetes Center is currently enrolling patients in five studies of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and three related studies of non-diabetics. Two of particular interest are:

Non-Diabetics: Alpha Lipoic Acid and Insulin Resistance — In this study, which is seeking volunteers 20 to 60 years of age, researchers wish to see if the antioxidant Alpha Lipoic Acid (LA) will improve insulin sensitivity in healthy, non-diabetic volunteers. See the Battling Diabetes article on ALA in the archives.

Non-Diabetics: Chromium and Insulin Resistance — This study is seeking volunteers 20 to 50 years of age with normal body weight who are not exercising regularly. Researchers want to find out the effect of chromium therapy on insulin resistance and will test all study subjects to determine if they are insulin-resistant or insulin-sensitive. See the Battling Diabetes article on chromium in the archives.

Currently the New Mexico ACT Trials (Albuquerque Clinical Trials) are recruiting Type Two Diabetics. Two of particular interest are sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and are intended to study and compare the effects of two medications, one new and one already approved, in lowering high blood sugars, lowering lipids, and lowering body weight in patients who use diet and exercise only to control their type II diabetes.

A third of interest is sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb and involves a new compound combination with Metformin and/or TZD and/or Insulin therapy. Now enrolling patients ages 18-77 with the intention of assessing the effects of lowering blood sugars by management of diabetic medications.

In the News!

Forbes.com, July 3, 2008. The Great Drug Debate. A panel of FDA experts voted 14-2 on Wednesday that diabetes drugs should face far more scrutiny to be sure they don’t cause heart attacks. The doctors present agreed the drugs should be tested for several years in 2,000 diabetics without heart disease before being approved.

Resources to Find Enrolling Clinical Trials in Your Area:

ClinicalTrials.gov not only lists registries of current clinical trials in the U.S and other countries but breaks them down according to condition, drug, sponsor and location.

World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. “The mission of the WHO Registry Platform is to ensure that a complete view of research is accessible to all those involved in health care decision making.”

CRISP, Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects. “A biomedical database system containing information on research projects and programs supported by the Dept. of Health and Human Services.”

Center Watch: Clinical Trials Listing Service. This site provides a notification services for new clinical trials.

American Diabetes Association provides basic information on clinical trials.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International lists current JDRF funded clinical studies and provides information on what phase those studies are currently in.

The Children With Diabetes site lists current clinical trials