Clinical trials event in Plymouth

If you’re in the city centre this weekend, look out for members of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust's Research and Development Team who will be raising awareness of health research and offering passers-by the opportunity to get involved in a clinical trial simulation.

On Saturday 16 May, from 10am until 1pm, the team will be at the stand near the sundial in the city centre. They will be on hand to highlight the importance of taking part in clinical trials and to talk about how people can get involved. There will also be opportunities for people to get involved and participate.

The event has been set up as part of celebrations for International Clinical Trials Day, which is held on 20 May.

Alison Stolton, Research Nurse Specialist, explains: “Health research is such an important part of the work carried out at Plymouth Hospitals on a day-to-day basis. So we thought that going out into the community would be a fantastic opportunity for us to not only showcase this work but to also talk to people about the importance of clinical trials and to perhaps consider how they might be able to get involved. We’re really looking forward to it!”

International Clinical Trials Day is celebrated to commemorate Dr James Lind, who carried out the first clinical trial on 12 men serving on HMS Salisbury, to see whether additions of cider, seawater, a mixture of garlic, mustard and horseradish or oranges and lemons, to the basic seaman’s diet could cure scurvy. The results marked Lind as a pioneer of naval hygiene and led to scurvy almost disappearing from the Royal Navy.

The dedicated clinical research centre, based in Derriford Hospital, is named after Lind in recognition of his pioneering work.