Clinical Trials UCL

Overview

The Clinical Trials course from UCL Summer School also considers related areas including health economics, data management and the role of patients and consumers in shaping research. It concludes with an introduction to systematic reviews and meta-analyses and their importance in evidence-based medicine.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will have:

• Recognised and chosen the appropriate clinical study design in different circumstances.

• Explained different outcome measures in clinical trials and the principles of randomisation and blinding.

• Explored the ethical and regulatory issues relative to clinical trials and gained insight into the clinical trialists’ responsibility to ensure patient safety.

• Described the key information that should be included in a clinical trial protocol.

• Examined the roles in, and features of, effective clinical trial conduct, including data management.

• Explained the role of health economics in clinical trials.

• Recognised the key steps involved in clinical trial analysis and reporting (preparing data for analysis, CONSORT reporting guidelines and writing styles).

• Interpreted published reports from clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

• Communicated clinical trial information and findings to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

• Explored the potential roles patients and the public can play in clinical trial design, conduct and reporting.