AR and CBPR in Clinical Trials - Bernard Young

There has been a growing interest in coupling AR, CBPR and Clinical Trials. This desire has been a respond to the need to improve diversity in clinical trial participation and to addressing the ethical issues of appropriately informing and educating the public when soliciting participants. Clinical trials that incorporate AR and CBPR models reduce power inequity between research subjects and investigators in the formulation of research questions, data analysis, and information distribution. I suggest that this approach also improves the communicative possibilities by offering an opportunity for direct dialog between trial subjects and medical practitioners on a level that goes beyond the sometimes paternal relationship of practitioner-patient.

We find this approach being used in many different area of research involving clinical trials My first contract with this type of approach was working as a regional coordinator, working in the with HIV/AIDS service and Prevention Programs in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through the actions of the staff of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Infectious Disease Center’s AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (ACTU) and the establishment of Community Advisory Board (CAB), I was able to witness collaboration between receivers of services and providers which helped to educate both side through a partnership that looked at research questions and service protocols. This partnership greatly improved the relationship between the clinic and the community of affected and infected persons. The ACTU of the University of Cincinnati is currently directed by Dr. Judith Feinberg, Professor of Medicine, Additional information about the CAB and the ACTU can be found at http://idc.uc.edu/aboutcab.html.

Please let us hear your experience in CBPR and AR in this area of research.