Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program
This new program helps patients and families find and join clinical trials.
Patients and families seeking a clinical trial may face many barriers, including complex information, lack of awareness, and potential travel costs. And yet we know that overall survival for some diagnoses is significantly higher for patients participating in clinical trials compared to those who do not. Clinical trials help physicians understand the science behind the medicine, which helps us all get closer to a cure. As patient advocates and educators, we are excited to introduce you to the Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program (JCCTP). This program makes it easier to find and join clinical trials.
One-On-One Clinical Trial Navigation
Scott Kerwin, MN, RN, CCRC, CCRN, is your primary contact when you need help finding a clinical trial for your patients. As a Clinical Trial Patient Education Specialist, Scott provides free one-on-one support by phone and email to help patients and families find and join clinical trials.
According to Scott, the most valuable help he provides is navigating the clinical trial system. “Because of my many years of working in hospitals as a bedside and clinical research nurse, I know how the system works, and I know how to contact the right people in the right roles,” says Scott.
Scott’s support and expertise is not limited to blood and marrow transplant (BMT) trials. He can help you and your patients find any trial for:
- Blood cancers, such as leukemia or myelofibrosis
- Blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease
- Inherited immune system or metabolic disorders, such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) or adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)
- BMT complications, such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)
To contact Scott, call 1(888) 814-8610 or email clinicaltrials@jcctp.org.
Online Search Tool
Another component of the JCCTP is a website with a simple search tool to help patients and families to quickly find useful information about relevant trials.
Scott also adds new trial descriptions to the search tool. He translates information from ClinicalTrials.gov into shorter easy-to-read descriptions. The search tool currently lists more than 700 trials, says Scott, with a goal of having 1,200 by the end of February 2018.
Financial assistance to help with travel to clinical trials
Sometimes in order to join a clinical trial, a patient and their family must travel to a different hospital. The Drs. Jeffrey and Isabel Chell Clinical Trials Travel Grant helps eligible patients with clinical trial travel expenses including:
- Patient and companion air travel, booked by dedicated travel agents
- Ground transportation, such as gas, parking and public transit
- Accommodations, such as hotel, temporary housing and incidentals
To apply for a grant on behalf of your patients, visit the JCCTP website.