New Joint Webinar Programme Announced
09-01-2021
The Registered Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) Network is proud to support International Clinical Trials Day (20 May).
The date marks an important moment back in 1747, when Royal Navy surgeon James Lind set out to better understand scurvy. His study was small, just 12 men over six days, but it showed that citrus fruits could prevent the disease, and is often seen as one of the first clinical trials.
Now, the anniversary is used around the world to highlight the importance of clinical trials and recognise the people who make them happen. Registered CTUs across the Network take the opportunity to share their work in schools, hospitals, and universities around the country or hold internal events to meet and thank participants and funders. You can read about a small fraction of these activities below. To find out about more about what CTUs do click here.
If you’re interested in taking part in health and care research across the UK, the Be Part of Research website can help you explore ongoing clinical trials by condition or location.
Staff from the NHS Blood and Transplant Clinical Trials Unit will be running a mini randomised controlled trial at the NHSBT site where our statisticians are based. We aim to test the hypothesis that paper aeroplanes made from A7 paper will fly further than those made from A6 paper. Participants (NHSBT colleagues) will be randomly allocated a paper size, build a plane, and test its flight distance. To explore the reliability of self‑reported data, participants will rate their paper‑aeroplane‑making skills beforehand. We will share the results with colleagues at the site.
Find out more about the work of the NHS Blood and Transplant Clinical Trials Unit here.
To mark ICTD, staff from Keele Clinical Trials Unit will be taking part in a creative research methods showcase at our university (19 May 2026), demonstrating the participant experience in a randomised controlled trial. On the day itself, we’ll be collaborating with MPFT NHS Trust on their research bus in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre, engaging the public and promoting opportunities to take part and get involved in health research. We will also be showcasing our mock trial at an event at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, highlighting the value of high-quality clinical trials.
Find out more about the work of the Keele Clinical Trials Unit here.
On 20 May 2026, leading researchers from the Lancashire Clinical Trials Unit will be presenting at the University of Lancashire’s annual Research and Knowledge Exchange Festival. As part of a day dedicated to health and wellbeing, they will be discussing some of their ground-breaking clinical trials and innovative methodological studies that are driving the future of health research.
Find out more about the work of the Lancashire Clinical Trials Unit here.
To help us celebrate International Clinical Trials Day, Leeds Clinical Trials Research Unit will be getting a visit from the family of former Leeds United footballer, World Cup winner and PFA Player of the Year Norman Hunter. Norman spent seven years receiving care in Leeds following his diagnosis with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) until his death in 2020.
His wife Sue has been raising money ever since and some of the over £170,000 raised has gone to help fund lab work related to the FLAIR and STATIC trials. In the past the family have visited the labs to meet the team and learn about the impact of their fundraising but this year they will be visiting LICTR to see where the trials are coordinated, meet the team and hear more about what is involved in running clinical trials.
Find out more about the work of the Leeds Clinical Trials Research Unit here.
If you have any questions about the site, please feel free to contact us. We are always looking for ways to better serve our members - YOU are important to us!
If you have any questions about the site, please feel free to contact us. We are always looking for ways to better serve our members - YOU are important to us!
