| The IMMEDIATE Trial is making special efforts to inform and consult with members of the communities that are served by the participating Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Systems. Patients are enrolled in the study when they are experiencing chest pain or other acute symptoms. This can make it hard to provide informed consent in a prompt way, which could delay the start of treatment. It is critical to start the treatment and study drug as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms when it may be the most beneficial.
As a way to notify the public and potential study participants in advance, informational meetings and community surveys will be carried out in the participating communities. The goal is to inform members in the communities about the nature and purpose of the research and its potential risks and benefits. The goal is also to educate the public about their right to decline participation and the fact that informed consent will not be obtained prior to initiating the study drug. Additionally, the communities are given the opportunity to voice their concerns and obtain additional information about the research.
The community surveys are being conducted by Hebert Research, a well established research firm headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, by utilizing a telephone survey sampling method. They draw a list of phone numbers from a telephone directory and this method of sampling will provide each residence (with a listed phone number) a random and equal chance of contributing to the community consultation.
For more information, click here to print Public Notification about the study
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