Clinical Trials

The Office of Pediatric Clinical Trials is a component of the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development and is an integral part of the Department of Pediatrics. The investigators and research team play an important role in the evaluation of new therapeutic agents and vaccines for safety and effectiveness in humans. In addition to vaccine trials, other recent studies include multi-center studies involving infants, children, adolescents and young adults with new agents for Type 2 Diabetes treatment, antibiotics, antivirals, sepsis, as well as select work with premature infants.

Researchers

• Christine B. Turley, M.D.
• Frederick S. Huang, M.D.
• Janak A. Patel, M.D.
• Richard E. Rupp, M.D.
• Judith L. Rowen, M.D.
• Lawrence R. Stanberry, M.D., Ph.D.

What Are Clinical Trials?

Clinical Trials are research studies that are performed in human volunteers to answer specific, controlled questions, regarding the use of a new substance for the treatment or prevention of disease, or a previously studied agent in a new way. Clinical trials are a critical step in bringing new treatments to the public and improving health. More information about Clinical Trials and answers to commonly asked questions, are available at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Goal of the Office of Pediatric Clinical Trials

The goal of our Clinical Trials program is to offer excellent service from the viewpoint of the subject, the investigator and the sponsor. The investigator group has extensive experience in clinical research and clinical trials, as well as a proven track record of successful industry collaboration. Staff and investigators focus on presenting balanced information to insure that the informed consent process is precise, informative and interactive, and are very committed to assuring that subjects and their families fully understand the project, its risks, expectations and requirements.

To assure the success of projects, the study teams focus on recruitment and retention, protocol integrity and data quality. The team’s commitment to working closely with volunteers to assure that they are able to participate fully in a study includes, when appropriate and approved:

• Complete integration into the General Pediatrics practice at UTMB
• Follow up visits at local school-based health centers
• Regular phone contact
• Home visits when necessary