Ok to ask
As part of International Clinical Trials Day, the UK National Health Service is launching “It’s ok to ask”:
Clinical research is the way in which we improve treatments in the NHS. In many cases doctors will tell patients about research but we also need patients to ask about it and keep research at the top of the NHS agenda.
In a recent consumer poll, only 21% of patients and the public said that they would feel confident asking their doctor about research opportunities – a low number.
That is why during 2013/14 The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is promoting the fact that it’s OK to ask about clinical research.
The campaign is aimed at patients, medical professionals and the public. Everyone can get involved and help spread the word that it’s OK to ask about clinical research.
The campaign is in the UK, but it’s ok to ask in NZ too.
Thomas Lumley (@tslumley) is Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Auckland. His research interests include semiparametric models, survey sampling, statistical computing, foundations of statistics, and whatever methodological problems his medical collaborators come up with. He also blogs at Biased and Inefficient See all posts by Thomas Lumley »