Tag Archive for: uterine fibroids

Understanding Uterine Fibroids; Diagnosis, Treatment, and Options

Why do I have fibroids and what can I do about them? Read more

How to Fix Fibroids and Get Back to Work Fast

Understanding hysteroscopic myomectomy to remove uterine fibroids. Read more

Participating in Clinical Trials

As a physician, I believe that I wear many hats. Among them are: healer, teacher and student. Since joining MacArthur OB/GYN in 2011, I found that one way to combine these hats into one was by becoming a clinical investigator on the research studies that our office participates in. The impetus for MacArthur OB/GYN to join in these studies came from my partner, Dr. Jeff Livingston, who has a passion for educating patients.

So how does being a clinical investigator in a research study help my patients? For one thing, it offers patients the chance to receive a new treatment or therapy that may help their condition. The study may also involve following patients for an extended period of time and this outcome data may result new knowledge that results in large-scale changes to doctors’ clinical practice. Also, we are able to attract patients who may have been outside our practice; and helping more people in the community is definitely a good thing.

So what clinical studies are we participating in at this time? We are participating in 5 clinical studies, and they are:

  1. A study of a medication to treat Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome
  2. A Post-market study looking at the long-term outcomes of two types of sling procedures for urinary incontinence
  3. A study of a medication to treat endometriosis
  4. A study of a medication to treat uterine fibroids
  5. A study of a medication to treat yeast infections.

Each study has specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. In addition, patients generally receive the study medications for free and are compensated for their time. In order to participate, a patient may be identified by one of our doctors as being potentially eligible, or a patient can contact our office and express an interest in participating; in which case they would be scheduled to see one of the doctors who is either the Principle Investigator or Sub-investigator for the particular study.

Hopefully reading this will encourage you if you have one of these conditions (IC/Bladder Pain, Urinary Incontinence, Endometriosis, Fibroids, or Chronic Yeast Infections) to contact Veronica Almanza at 214-223-5479. She can explain the study to you in more detail and arrange a visit with one of our physicians. We are here to help.