Clinical Trials

At Novartis, we are determined to help people in the UK and around the world who live with many different conditions to improve and extend their lives. A critical part of this ambition is our programme of clinical research.

Clinical trials are fundamental to the development of new medicines and help to enhance the quality of, or even prolong life,1 while progressing scientific understanding and enabling earlier access to new, innovative medicines.2,3 Clinical research can also provide a vital ‘life-line’ and an alternative treatment approach for many patients.3

 

Clinical trials are at the foundation of some of the biggest medical advances seen over the last four to five decades. Novartis is committed to using science-based innovation to improve research and develop innovative medicines for some of the most difficult-to-treat diseases, with many studies being conducted in the UK.

Dr Mark Toms, Chief Scientific Officer, Novartis UK

CLINICAL TRIALS: THE FACTS

Without clinical trials, many of the medicines we rely on today would not exist.1 Clinical trials ensure that medicines are generally well tolerated and effective, and that new, innovative treatments are continuously being developed for people with different illnesses.4,5

At Novartis, we understand that involvement in clinical trials might naturally create apprehension among patients and their families, friends or carers. We have listened to common queries regarding clinical trials and this page provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. 

 

CLINICAL TRIALS IN PHASES4,5,6

Clinical trials are divided into phases, ranging from 1 to 4, also written as phase I-IV. Earlier phases determine the safety of a treatment and any potential side effects, while later stages examine whether a new medicine is more effective than existing therapies.

NOVARTIS AND CLINICAL TRIALS

At Novartis, we are committed to progressing scientific research and are the leading commercial clinical trials sponsor in the UK, supporting around 10% of all such studies.7 Conducting clinical trials locally can lead to improved quality of care for patients in those communities, so we’re proud to have supported over 1,000 UK clinical trial sites for studies in more than 60 disease areas.8,9

Through our research – which has collected 2 million patient-years of data over the past two decades10 – advances for many diseases have been made possible, giving people in the UK and around the world alternative and improved treatment options.

Novartis makes every effort to comply with national and international standards for disclosure of clinical trial information. Results are made publicly available whatever the outcome. Access to this information helps people to make informed decisions about potential treatment options and participation in clinical studies.

Results from our clinical trials are available on our dedicated website, http://www.novartisclinicaltrials.com which has details of over 1,790 clinical trials.11

THE NOVARTIS COMMITMENT TO PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS

At Novartis, we are dedicated to developing innovative treatments that help to improve the lives of people with serious diseases. As a company, we value the role of patients and the experienced insight they can bring to our medical research. We seek input into the design of patient-facing materials and in some cases, we invite patient input into trial design as well to ensure they are practical for the participant.

It is crucial that patients participating in Novartis clinical studies know what to expect from us – Read more about our commitment to patients and caregivers

CONTINUING SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION

Novartis is committed to discovering new ways to improve and extend people's lives; a critical part of achieving this mission is through our extensive clinical trial programme.

On average, it takes 12 years to develop a new medicine12 and we continue to use science-based innovation to address some of society's most challenging healthcare issues.

Some of the exciting research we have conducted has led to many great advances in medicine. Examples where we are proud to have changed the outcome for patients include:

  • The significant reduction in the number of blindness registrations due to wet age-related macular degeneration13
  • People with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) are now living disease-free for many years14
  • Many people with severe psoriasis can live with clear skin15 

 

FURTHER INFORMATION


For more information about all ongoing clinical trials, both in the UK and worldwide, please visit:

If you have experienced a medical side effect related to a Novartis product, please report it using the Novartis online system.

If you experience any problems with the site, you can telephone +44 (0)1276 698370.

If you need to report a Product Quality Complaint relating to a Novartis product, please email [email protected].

 

REFERENCES

  1. NHS National Institute for Health Research. Understanding clinical trials. Available at: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.ukcrc-ctu.org.uk/resource/resmgr/2)_understanding_clinical_tr.pdf. Last accessed May 2019
  2. Sarah Cannon Research Institute. Clinical Trials FAQs. Available at: http://sarahcannonresearch.co.uk/for-patients/clinical-trials-faqs/. Last accessed May 2019.
  3. Macmillan. Benefits and risks of taking part in a trial. Available at: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/treating/clinical-trials/can-and-should-i-take-part/benefits-and-risks.html#3657. Last accessed May 2019.
  4. NHS Choices. Clinical trials. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Clinical-trials/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Last accessed May 2019.
  5. ECMC. What are clinical trials? http://www.ecmcnetwork.org.uk/what-are-clinical-trials. Last accessed May 2019.
  6. Cancer Research UK. Phases of clinical trials Available at: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/what-.... Last accessed May 2019. 
  7. Novartis UK Data on File 033. 2019
  8. Novartis UK Data on File 002. 2019
  9. Novartis UK Data on File 014. 2019
  10. Novartis UK Data on File 038. 2019 
  11. Novartis: Partnering for better patient outcomes. 2015
  12. ABPI. Developing new medicines. Available at: https://www.abpi.org.uk/what-we-do/research-medical-and-innovation/our-w.... Last accessed May 2019.
  13.  Novartis UK. World Sight Day 2016. Available at: https://www.novartis.co.uk/stories/education-awareness/world-sight-day-2016. Last accessed May 2019.
  14. Overview. Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-myeloid-leukaemia/. Last accessed May 2019.
  15. Consentyx Combined: Summary of Product Characteristics. 2018
  16. Cancer Research UK. Safety in clinical trials. Available at: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/what-you-should-be-told-about-a-clinical-trial/safety-in-clinical-trials. Last accessed May 2019.
  17. Cancer Research UK. Advantages and drawbacks of taking part in a clinical trial. Available at: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/what-you-should-be-told-about-a-clinical-trial/advantages-and-drawbacks. Last accessed May 2019.
  18.  Cancer Research UK. How long does it take for a new drug to go through clinical trials? Available at http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/cancer-questions/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-new-drug-to-go-through-clinical-trials#hWZC0hhpw1mjbXxj.99. Last accessed May 2019.

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