April 2, 2001

Physicians and scientists at UConn Health Center are studying dozens of new medical treatments and technologies. Now, with just a click of the mouse, people can see if the research underway A visit to the Health Center's redesigned webpage gives readers easy access to current research studies or clinical trials organized by categories such as cancer, psychiatry, dental studies, and geriatrics. The address is http://www.uconnhealth.org. Click on the clinical trials icon to find out about the research studies.

Currently, for example, physicians are studying a new medication for social anxiety disorder, a new material for tooth-colored fillings in back teeth, the use of electromagnetic fields to strengthen bones in older women, and HIV treatment therapies, among other things.

The studies, or clinical trials, which evaluate new health care options based on the latest ideas and findings from basic research, rely on volunteers who try the new treatments. In exchange for their participation, volunteers receive close monitoring of their medical problem and, in some cases, are paid for participation.

Every clinical trial at the Health Center must be approved by the Institutional Review Board, a group of scientists and lay people who decide whether the trial is ethical and who protect the rights of patients enrolled in it.

The updated webpage also gives users links to other useful sites about medical research at the Health Center and around the country. As additional clinical trials get underway, they will be added to the website.

Kristina Goodnough