International Clinical Trials Methodology Conference 2022

Trial manager Rachel Dakin and Clinical Fellow Charis Wong presented posters about MND-SMART at the 6th International Clinical Trial Methodology Conference.

Rachel's poster highlighted the adaptive platform design, which means we can add new drugs to the trial and stop testing those that do not meet pre-defined thresholds.

Charis's poster shared information on how we select drug to test. Charis was delighted to win the student poster prize! This recognition highlights how important it is to consider many different types of information when selecting drugs.

It is vital we share information about MND-SMART with other research groups so they can understand what we are doing, why and how the trial design works. Conferences are also a huge source of information for us, with other teams around the world discussing their trials and research studies. This conference is unique in that it helps us learn how we can make trials better in a practical sense.

Some of the sessions I enjoyed most were about sharing information with potential participants. We know that we need a patient information sheet, but these are often more than 10 pages long, and few people read all the details. Other research groups from across the UK have investigated if videos, animations or diagrams can help people have a better understanding of a trial. It was helpful to learn about their experiences as this is something we've been considering for MND-SMART.

In another session, we discussed designing research with potential participants. This will help ensure trials answer the questions that are important to patients, and that taking part is practical for them. I'm pleased to say that we have always involved people with MND, their families and caregivers in the design of MND-SMART. However, the session made me think more about how, with their help, we can keep on improving our trial in the future.

Related links

International Clinical Trials Methodology Conference (external website)