The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) has unveiled the redesign of Fox Trial Finder, the Foundation's online tool to match patients and families to Parkinson's clinical studies that need them. Originally launched in July 2011, Fox Trial Finder now aims to provide users with a simplified experience to more easily find opportunities to advance breakthroughs in Parkinson's treatments and ultimately a cure.
Across all research, 85 percent of trials face delays and 30 percent never get off the ground due to a lack of volunteers. Fox Trial Finder lists all actively recruiting Parkinson's and atypical parkinsonism studies — both interventional trials that test new therapies and observational studies that examine health and disease. Using an intuitive, customizable search feature, prospective participants can use the tool to perform a guided search to find studies they may be eligible to join in their area. With no registration or fees required, participants then instantly and directly connect with research teams via phone or email.
"Whether you're new to clinical trials or you've been participating in them for years, the new Fox Trial Finder is here to help better connect patients and families to research," said MJFF Deputy CEO Sohini Chowdhury. "We heard our community's feedback and redesigned the tool to better fit their needs. Using state-of-the-art technology, Fox Trial Finder will create onramps for people to connect with trials that urgently need them. In doing so, we can reduce the burden of recruitment and help bring new treatments to patients faster."
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The new Fox Trial Finder currently houses more than 500 actively recruiting studies from 40 countries. And since the platform's original launch nearly a decade ago, more than 1,600 research teams have used the tool to expand outreach and connect with potential volunteers. By using the Fox Trial Finder platform, the Phase III STEADY-PD trial — a National Institutes of Health-funded study to evaluate the potential of repurposing isradipine for Parkinson's — completed recruitment of newly diagnosed individuals six months ahead of schedule.
"When I was newly diagnosed with Parkinson's, I was in search of a way to get involved with research. Simply put, I wanted to help find a cure," said MJFF Patient Council member Claudia Revilla of Peoria, Illinois. "Fox Trial Finder provided me with an accessible and user-friendly resource to take that first step toward research. If thousands more people volunteer for clinical studies, we can get closer to the answers that we're seeking about how to cure the disease."