At CHÉOS, our staff have over 30 years of experience in all aspects of clinical trials, from the design of data capture instruments to database issues, conduct, analysis, and oversight of trials.
Clinical trials are the most rigorous method for addressing clinical research questions; however, they are resource-intensive and require high-level expertise to design and conduct. At CHÉOS, our Scientists and staff have over 30 years of experience in all aspects of clinical trials, from the design of data capture instruments to database issues, conduct, analysis, and oversight of trials.
Our in-house team of clinical trial experts are available to facilitate and assist external investigators with the development and conduct of their clinical trials. View our Clinical Research Support page for more information.
Additionally, many of the Scientists at CHÉOS conduct the majority of their research using clinical trials and are well-versed in applying various methodological approaches to answer health outcomes questions.
Program Head Dr. Joel Singer’s primary area of expertise is in methodological and analytical issues in clinical trials, and he has decades of experience with methodological issues in observational trials and cohort studies.
Dr. Joel Singer received his training in Clinical Epidemiology while serving as a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University.
Below is a sample of the types of clinical trials research taking place at CHÉOS.
Although oral medications like methadone can reduce addiction severity and effectively retain some people in treatment, this is not the case for everyone. Over the past two decades, clinical trials research at CHÉOS has been looking for more effective treatments for opioid use disorder. Research like NAOMI and SALOME has shown that injectable opioids like diacetylmorphine (DAM), the active ingredient in heroin, and hydromorphone (HDM), the licensed pain medication is commonly known as Dilaudid, are effective at attracting and retaining people in treatment that have been previously unsuccessful with methadone. This research shows that these treatments are cost-effective, reduce mortality, and improve quality of life while reducing costs associated with health care use and criminal activity.
Kidney transplant candidates are at high risk for coronary artery disease and currently undergo annual testing to determine if they have developed the disease. As the optimal strategy to monitor and maintain the cardiac fitness of kidney transplant candidates is unknown, this study will determine whether annual testing is in fact necessary. The study is expected to influence transplant practice worldwide, as the results will either a) make better use of scarce deceased-donor kidneys by permitting better waitlist management, or b) save valuable resources due to averting needless and potentially detrimental tests in asymptomatic patients. CHÉOS Scientist Dr. John Gill is a principal investigator on the trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov)
NaMaSTe is a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of a novel culturally tailored lifestyle and medication adherence intervention in South Asian patients with poorly controlled diabetes in Canada. Under the direction of CHÉOS Scientist Dr. Nadia Khan, the study aims to recruit 600 participants from British Columbia with type 2 diabetes.
South Asians living in Canada and globally have high rates of type 2 diabetes. Despite the burden of diabetes in this population, diabetes management remains poor. South Asian patients are less likely to exercise, follow a healthy diet, participate in exercise programs, and achieve glucose, blood pressure, and lipid targets for diabetes than the general population. Although there is some preliminary evidence that culturally tailored chronic disease models may improve outcomes, the current evidence base is insufficient to justify the system modifications required to provide this type of care across primary care settings in Canada. The NaMaSTe trial, therefore, endeavours to increase the body of evidence to assist in improving the health of South Asian patients in Canada.
More information at ClinicalTrials.gov and on the study website.
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