RAPID Eczema Trials
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Rapid & Efficient Eczema Trials – a citizen science approach to conducting eczema clinical trials
IRAS ID
329123
Contact name
Kim Thomas
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Eczema is an itchy, chronic skin condition. The main treatments are topical treatments such as moisturisers and flare-control creams, but how best to use them is still uncertain. Questions about skincare, washing and how to use eczema treatments are a high priority for patients, but are rarely the focus of large, high-quality randomised controlled trials. Clinical trials are the best way of comparing different treatments, but they can be time consuming and expensive to complete, and do not always answer questions important to people with the condition.
The aim of the RAPID programme is to improve the lives of people living with eczema by partnering with citizen scientists to deliver multiple, efficient online clinical trials and share new knowledge with those who need it.
We will combine the benefits of citizen science with efficient clinical trial designs, supported by clinical trial experts and will use varied approaches (both on and offline) to establish an Eczema Citizen Science Community. This Community will prioritise research questions, work in teams to help design key aspects of the trials, promote the project amongst their wider communities & networks, and share the results rapidly with wider audiences. The citizen scientists will work in partnership with researchers and clinicians with experience of delivering eczema research, to conduct multiple online randomised controlled trials for people with lived experience of eczema that address questions of importance to them.
Citizen scientists will help us publicly share the findings as rapidly as possible, and will help drive our dissemination strategy to encourage new knowledge to be shared amongst patients and health practitioners so people have the knowledge they need to improve eczema care.REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0899
Date of REC Opinion
16 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion