Liver disease: Its causes, symptoms and treatments

All too often, people hear “liver disease” and jump to conclusions around alcohol abuse. But that’s not always the cause. In fact, there are many causes of liver disease and lots of different factors that can affect this complex organ.

A world of support: Patient advocacy groups, supporting you through your care journey

As a patient, loved one or care partner, patient advocacy groups are there to support you. They are organizations that help patients with a particular disease, disability, or condition. But how can you connect with a group, and what type of support can they really provide?

We all have breasts! Raising awareness of breast cancer in men

More often than not, breast cancer is associated with women. Yet, men can - and do - get breast cancer too.

Debunking 9 common clinical trial myths

You may have noticed that there have been a lot more conversations about clinical trials recently, especially in relation to the COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. As a result, there are many blogs, forums and social media posts talking about clinical trials, but did you know that any medication you’ve previously taken – from cough drops to antibiotics – has been through a clinical trial? It’s brilliant that people are talking about the subject more often, however, it can be tricky to know what information is reliable.

Helping you understand the language of clinical trials

Clinical trials are being spoken about more than ever before. Yet that can be understandably confusing, often leaving people with many questions. What are the phases? What happens at each stage? What is the difference between a trial and a study? Are there different types of each or are they all the same?

Living with long COVID: how clinical trials can shine a light on new treatments

The majority of people who contract COVID-19 go on to make a full recovery typically within a matter of a days. However, some people suffer with longer-term symptoms, with a condition that has become known as ‘long COVID’. It’s still poorly understood, and researchers are using clinical trials to learn more about the condition.

Participating in a clinical trial might be exactly what you need. Here’s where to start.

Hundreds of clinical trials are run across the US every year. These trials are crucial to new treatment and personalized medicine development, gathering key information about safety and treatment effectiveness for a wide range of diseases and health conditions. All medical treatments, from the familiar aspirin to chemotherapy drugs, must go through clinical trials. And increasingly, patients are actively considering participating in trials as part of their treatment. Here’s why:

A day in the life of a clinical trial patient: Part one

Disclaimer: All characters and other entities appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons or other real-life entities is purely coincidental.

How to discuss your diagnosis with loved ones

Having a recent diagnosis can be hard on many levels. There can be lots of information to take in and decisions to make about your treatment. You may feel confused by what’s happening or fearful and uncertain about the future.

What is informed consent in clinical trials?

If you’re considering different treatment options available to you, chances are you may be considering a clinical trial. Clinical trials can provide you with an alternative treatment pathway, potentially giving you access to investigational drugs you wouldn’t normally be able to receive.