ARC Clinical Research is a service aimed at making strides in scientific advances with the goal of ensuring and improving the quality of available medicines and devices nationwide. The clinical research program covers a wide scope of medical issues with trials focused on solutions ranging from new vaccines to smartphone apps.
"[Austin] is a growing city. It's an innovation center and we want to bring more cutting-edge science to the city," said Anas Daghestani MD, ARC CEO and President, in this recent article in Community Impact. "We want to give our patients access to some of the newer medications, and we know the cost of care is a challenge."
Why enroll in a clinical trial?
ARC's clinical research often involves testing new treatments for common diseases. New medications can be expensive, so enrolling in a clinical trial is a more cost-effective option for those seeking relief.
"Anybody in the community who feels like this is something that makes sense to them, something that has impacted them, [can be] considered for a study," Dr. Daghestani said.
Current clinical trials at ARC
Currently, ARC Clinical Research is enrolling patients for multiple trials to test new treatments such as a medication to help post-menopausal women suffering from hot flashes, a smart phone app to help reduce fibromyalgia symptoms, a pediatric meningococcal vaccine, and a device for rheumatoid arthritis patients.
"We're doing our part to represent the population in Austin. Typically, studies look at a few thousand patients nationally, so we might be enrolling anywhere from 10 to 200 [participants]," Dr. Daghestani said. "Locally, at any point in time, we typically have 15 to 20 studies active and running."
CMV trial now enrolling
One of the most exciting trials enrolling now is for a new vaccine for Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a leading cause of birth defects worldwide.
"This is exciting because we have a new vaccine that we're trying to approve, and it's something that doesn't happen very frequently," Dr. Daghestani said. "CMV is rare, but when it happens, it's devastating with a mother getting a CMV virus infection during pregnancy and passing it to the newborn, leading to rare but potentially traumatic consequences."
Find a trial that's right for you today
ARC Clinical Research has locations at ARC Far West Medical Tower, ARC Wilson Parke and ARC Kelly Lane in Pflugerville. Those interested in participating in one of ARC's studies are encouraged to visit the ARC Clinical Research page from which they can submit a clinical research interest form.