APF Research Study Finder
We are excited to announce the launch of our new research Study Finder on our website. Are you interested in research? Ask your healthcare team about local opportunities to take part in.
Here, we answer your questions:
What is the Study Finder?
The Study Finder is a web page where you can find information about different research studies that are taking place in the UK for people affected by pulmonary fibrosis. This includes studies that are currently looking for people to take part and results from studies that have already happened. We created the Study Finder by working alongside people affected by PF and researchers.
Why is the Study Finder important?
Research is important to lots of people affected by PF, but many people tell us they do not know what is happening or how they can take part.
Scientists can learn a lot about pulmonary fibrosis in a laboratory, but they need help from people living with the disease to understand more. Taking part in research is a critical step in helping to:
- Understand the impact of PF.
- Improve diagnosis and understand how PF changes over time.
- Find new and better treatments.
What sort of things could I be asked to do?
There are lots of different types of research studies, so what you could be asked to do will vary.
Studies could include:
- One-off surveys: Answer a set of questions online in less than an hour.
- Clinical trials: Take a potential new treatment over several months. You would usually complete medical assessments like breathing and blood tests to find out whether the drug is safe and effective.
- A patient registry: Agree to share some of your medical information to help scientists learn more about the disease over time.
How do I use the Study Finder?
You can read about the exciting research that is happening now in the UK, read about opportunities to take part, or find out the results from recent studies. If you’re interested in taking part, you can use the search functions to filter by the location, type of pulmonary fibrosis, travel requirements and whether the study is open to recruitment or upcoming.
If you want to find out more about taking part in a particular study, we encourage you to speak to your healthcare team about your interest. You may also be able to contact the research team directly, depending on the individual study. More information is shared within each of the study pages.
Can’t see something that interests you? Check back soon as we’re often adding new studies.
Can I find results about studies that have finished?
Yes, you can. Once a study is completed and the results are published, we will update information about what the researcher found and what the next steps might be.
What difference will the Study Finder make?
We created the study finder so that more people can find out what research is happening in the UK and how they can take part. We hope that the Study Finder will help more patients and healthcare professionals get involved in research so that together as a community we can STOP pulmonary fibrosis.