One of the biggest drug studies ever undertaken by Dundee University has recruited its 4000th volunteer.
But more older people who take drugs to help with the pain of arthritis are being sought to participate in the international trial which is examining the safety and effectiveness of commonly used arthritis drugs and a newer drug about to come off patent and be available at a much lower cost.
Thousands of people in Tayside and Fife alone take painkillers for arthritis. More than a quarter of the existing recruits to the international study led by Dundee University live in Tayside and Fife.
Anyone aged 60 or over who already takes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or diclofenac, prescribed by their GP for arthritis, can take part.
Adam Wilson, project manager for the SCOT study and who is based at Ninewells Hospital, said involvement in the study would not be onerous for either patients or their GPs.
Patients would have to make just one visit to talk to a research nurse and sign up and would be followed up electronically through patient records.
SCOT stands for Standard care versus Celecoxib Outcome Trial. The current patent for Celecoxib expires in 2014, allowing the drug to be produced generically and sold at a significantly lower price.’Great value’When the results from the study are available they will help GPs make decisions about which drugs to prescribe for their patients.
“This information will be of great value to everyone who needs to take these drugs on a regular basis, which is millions of people around the world,” said Tom MacDonald, professor of clinical pharmacology at Dundee University and lead researcher on the SCOT trial.
“The findings will allow doctors and people with arthritis to make the best choice, not just for their joint pains but also for their general health.”
The SCOT study aims to find out if Celecoxib the most widely prescribed of the newer drugs is better, worse or just the same as the other available NSAIDs in terms of cardiovascular and digestive system safety.
Professor MacDonald and his team are working with patients and researchers elsewhere in Scotland, England, Denmark and Holland, making it one of the biggest ever studies run by a Scottish university.
Anyone interested in taking part in the study should speak to their GP directly, go to www.scottrial.co.uk, email info@scottrial.co.uk or telephone 01382 632575.