Clinical Trials

Children have often had to accept medicines and treatments based on what is known to work in adults.  However, according to Dr. Renne Jenkins, President, American Academy of Pediatrics, "Children are NOT little adults.  They are unique."  Therefore, as a society, we should NOT agree to a 'hand-me-down' approach to treating our brain tumor children.  But instead, we should ensure that studies are designed to target children in the research to find them the best treatments and drugs for their specific situations. 

Pediatric clinical trials are unique.  Pediatric brain tumor clinicals trials are even rarer.  But we know, that the only way to bring our brain tumor children into 'first class citizenship' in medical care is to design focused clinincal trials on their behalf. The National Institute of Health's Organzation of Rare Diseases further corroborates this point in their new "No More Hand-Me-Down Reseaerch" video.

Currently, there are few clinical trials are open to PLGA kids, and there have been NO dedicated childrens low grade astrocytoma clinical trials to date.  The PLGA Foundation is working towards changing this,as children with low grade brain tumors (grade 1 or 2) need targeted PLGA clinical trials in order to push potential treatments more rapidly from the research mode to end user.

At the July 2nd, 2008 International Society of Pediatric Neuro-Oncologists meeting in Chicago, more than 100 families with children suffering from brain tumors gathered to ask questions directedat an interdisciplinary panel of pediatric brain tumor physicians.  In this short video,Dr. Kieran shares a concise definition of the way a clinical trial protocol is structured and Dr. Goldman defines the three different Phases that a clinical trial can be registered.

In addition, the NIH's Organization of Rare Diseases has created the following four videos which answer four of the most common questions about childrens clinical research:

1)  Why is it important for CHILDREN to participate in clinical trials?

2)  Who's Who on a Research Team?

3)  How does a clinical trial effect the family?

4)  What are the Rights of Families in Studies?

The following is a list of sites that provide clinical trial information on an international level:

The PLGA Foundation is working towards increasing the number of clinical trials available to low grade brain tumor kids.  (When you search these sites, consider giving multiple options for search criteria including: glioma, astrocytoma, pediatric brain tumor and pediatric solid tumor, etc.)