ROANOKE, Va. – Cutting edge research is happening right in the Star City.
Thursday, May 20 is Clinical Trials Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness about the scientists and studies advancing medical research. Carilion Clinic is celebrating too.
Carilion has about 125 active studies on everything from oncology to cardiology to infectious diseases like COVID-19.
The program has 35 team members coordinating studies and over 180 physicians involved in the trials. The director of clinical trials said participants play a major role in developing new treatments and therapies.
“Because that’s how we advance medical knowledge. Without doing clinical research, we are not able to solve these problems,” said Andrea Bidanset, the director of clinical trials at Carilion Clinic.
She also said that one of the benefits of the program is that patients have access to these therapies or treatments near home and they don’t have to travel far.