Researchers at Keele have today issued a heartfelt thank you to the tens of thousands of volunteers that help make their life-changing health care studies possible.

The University’s Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) supports the design, conduct, analysis and reporting of clinical trials and other high quality clinical research studies.

Since it received full accreditation from the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) in 2012, Keele CTU has supported 65 research studies, including 34 randomised controlled trials, in order to improve healthcare for conditions including musculoskeletal pain, mental health, and renal conditions.

Now, to mark International Clinical Trials Day 2019, Keele CTU has offered its thanks to the thousands of people who make its life-changing research possible by volunteering to take part in their studies.

Since 2012 more than 53,000 participants have taken part in this research, 10,000 of whom have taken part in a clinical trial.

Professor Nadine Foster, Director of Keele CTU said: “This is a wonderful achievement for Keele University and the communities around it, and more broadly across the region and wider UK.

“It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team; our strong collaborations with clinicians, academics and partnering NHS organisations; and our close links with the Clinical Research Networks. Most of all it shows the generous nature of the people living in this area, who take part in research in order to ensure future patients benefit from greater evidence about the effectiveness and costs of treatments.

“We would like to use International Clinical Trials day as an opportunity to say “Thank You” to everyone who has taken part - clinical trials research would be impossible without your support.”