More older people 'should be involved in medical testing'
Monday 1st February 2010
There should be a greater representation of older people in clinical trials, it has been suggested.
According to a European Union project entitled Predict - which started in February 2008 and is set to last for a total of 27 months - too few such people currently take part in research.
Despite the fact that the elderly are the most likely to take medication, they are the least likely to be the subjects of tests.
The results of research conducted on younger people cannot always be extrapolated to older demographics, it claimed.
Dr Gary Mills, director of the Medical Economics and Research Centre, Sheffield and one of the co-ordinators of the project, stated: "If treatments are not evaluated for elderly people it is difficult for doctors to balance the risks and benefits," the BBC reports.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the British Geriatrics Society Professor David Oliver added that the underrepresentation of elderly people in clinical trials is a "serious problem".
Written by Mathew Horton
Related articles
Biomedical scientists develop new drug screening...
A team of biomedical scientists have developed a technique which they say helps them screen cancer drugs more effectively. The...
Monday 15th March 2010
Biomedical researchers investigating hepatitis...
More funding has been made available to a team of biomedical researchers investigating hepatitis C. The experts, who are based at...
Monday 8th March 2010
Cancer treatment response tests developed by...
Biomedical scientists have developed a test which they claim can predict how well chemotherapy will work in cancer patients. A...
Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Audiology News
Biomedical Scientist required for a London laboratory.. Locum Biomedical Scientist needed for a busy Microbiology department in London. ...
Full infoBiomedical Scientist/ Healthcare Scientist Band 6 for an ongoing contract in London, to work within the Antiviral Unit.. Mediplacements are currently recruiting a Band 6 Biomedical Scientist/ Healthcare Scientist for an ongoing position in...
Full infoLocum Biomedical Scientist wanted for ongoing role in the midlands. Working in the Haematology, BT and Immunology deptmanent. . A Locum Biomedical Scientist is urgently needed for a post in the Midlands. The role will involve working within the...
Full info