Drugmakers Looking At Creative Ways To Attract Patients To Clinical Trials
Researchers count on about 1.7 million patients to participate in drug trials around the world each year, but they are resorting to new methods of helping consumers find out about the opportunities and participate because they have trouble retaining patients. Elsewhere, news outlets cover pharmaceutical developments related to placebos and the impact of sun and heat on drugs.
The Wall Street Journal:
Companies Try New Ways To Attract Patients To Drug Trials
Drug companies are testing new ways to get more people to participate in clinical trials for promising medicines. Some companies sift through laboratory-test records to identify people with certain diseases who might qualify for drug trials. Other firms monitor how patients discuss their diseases in online forums to develop effective recruitment approaches. (Rockoff, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
Why Placebos Really Work: The Latest Science
Scientists are finding a growing number of ways placebos appear to bring about real health benefits in patients. The research could someday lead to increased use of placebos—substances that have no apparent pharmaceutical effect—in treatments for common diseases. (Reddy, 7/18)
Consumer Reports:
Sun And Heat Can Make Some Drugs Dangerous While Making Others Less Potent
Some widely used medications can make you far more sensitive to summer’s sunlight and heat than you’d usually be. For example: Certain over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines and common antidepressants reduce your ability to sweat, which makes it difficult for your body to regulate its temperature properly. That makes you more prone to muscle cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can rapidly escalate into an emergency. (7/18)