The aim of the UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network (UK DCTN) is to conduct high-quality, multicentre, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that answer questions of importance to clinicians and patients. It is a collaborative network of dermatologists, dermatology nurses, health services researchers and patients throughout the UK and Ireland.
....."The idea of a British dermatology clinical trials network is about doing something collectively on a grand scale that could begin to change the face of dermatology clinical trials."
Professor Hywel Williams, Network Chair
Latest News and Events
UKDCTN Steering and Executive Group Meeting
There has been a change to the meeting arrangements for the steering and executive groups. The February meetings will be held in London, NOT Nottingham as previoiusly arranged. For information about future meetings go to the meetings page here.
New UK DCTN Trial Receives Funding
We are very pleased to announce that our funding bid to the NIHR for a phase II trial on lentigo maligna has been successful. This two year trial will be funded under the Research for Patient Benefit Programme. The Chief Investigator, Dr Jerry Marsden, based in Birmingham, will be looking at the effect of topical imiquimod on lentigo maligna. A trial manager will be appointed in the New Year. For more information see our 'Trials in Development' page.
Evidence Based Update Meeting 2009 - Urticaria
Arrangements are already being made for next years Evidence Based Update Meeting by the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology. The central subject will be urticaria and it will be held on Thursday 14th May 2009. Topics covered will include systematic reviews, new RCTs, solar urticaria, and acute urticaria. You can pre-book now, for more information see our flyer here.
New Trial Managers Appointed
We are a hive of activity at the moment with our BLISTER (Bullous pemphigoid) and STOP GAP (Pyoderma Gangrenosum) trials being set up. There are two new trial managers to take on the work load of these two important clinical trials - Eleanor Mitchell will be running STOP GAP and Caroline Onions is the BLISTER trial manager. Welcome aboard!
Chair of UKCRN Skin Specialty Group - 10 July 2008
We are very pleased to announce that Hywel Williams has been offered the Chairmanship of the NIHR/UKCRN national Skin Specialty Group. Dermatology is one of 26 priority areas identified for coverage by the Comprehensive Local Research Networks. Specialty groups will have an important part to play in the successful delivery of high quality clinical research through the NIHR Comprehensive Clinical Research Network.
The role of the specialty groups will be to provide early advice on potential studies and decide if it is 'do-able' in the NHS, to assess the feasibility of studies and their acceptibility to patients, advise the UKCRN on all dermatology aspects of studies in the CCRN portfolio, and advise adoption committees regarding trials which are not automatically eligible for portfolio. The Group will look at both commercial and non-commercial trials. This is a new and exciting role in a process that is still evolving.
NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research awarded - July 2008
The Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, University of Nottingham, has won £1,930,186 in the only award of it's kind for dermatology. The research will focus on eczema prevention, vitiligo, squamous cell skin cancer and pyoderma gangrenosum. The latter will be a Network study (STOP GAP) following on from our current pilot STOP GAP Study. For more information see the news release on the CEBD website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/dermatology/
