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Targeted Therapy: �The Interconnectivity between Research and Clinical Activity(practice). ��BY

DR. OBOMA, YIBALA IBOR

(PhD, M.Sc, BMLS, FWAPCMLS, FMLSCN, CLMH, Cepi, FCAI.)

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Background

In health care research, results diffuse slowly into clinical practice and therefore the need to bridge the gap.

There is broad evidences that there is substantial gap between the health care that patient receive and the practice that is recommended.

APA division 12, (2011) committee on science and practice highlighted different ideas to help bridge the gap between clinical research and clinical practice

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Definition of Variables

TARGETED THERAPY - treatment that targets specific proteins that control abnormal cell growth, division, and spread, receptors that binds to specific drugs and growth factors regions. It is a term borrow from oncology.

INTERCONNECTIVITY – the state of having different parts or things connect or relate to each other. Synonyms include association, relationship, correlation, linkage, joined, Interrelated and interdependence .

CLINICAL PRACTICE /ACTIVITY- Is a model of practice that involves those activities with and unbehalf of clients especially those activities completed in the client presence and with collaboration .

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Type of clinical research �

Treatment research – investigating different treatment options for diseases

Prevention research- goal is to find better ways to prevent conditions from either reoccurring or developing in the first place .

Diagnostic research- research practice of searching for effective way of identifying specific disorders or disease and disease process.

Screening research- primary aim is to improve detection of disease for more accurate result

Quality of life research- Explore various means of improving comfort and quality of life for those suffering chronic illness

Genetic studies – aim at improve disease prediction by look at he relationship between genes and diseases

Epidemiological studies- the goal is to identify the pattern, cause and control of disease in groups of persons .

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Steps in evidence based clinical research.�

Posing the question

Locating the relevant research method

Critically appraising the quality and applicability of the located knowledge

Discussing the research result with the clients when possible and assessing the fit of effective option with clients values and goals

Collaboratively developing a plan of intervention

Implementation and intervention

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Benefits of clinical research�

The ultimate goal of clinical research is to increase medical knowledge and improve patient care.

Clinical research makes life better for health care seekers

It changes how the medical community approach disease

Ensure patients receives the best treatment and possible care.

Some of the discoveries through clinical research include vaccine production

Treatment for cancer, diabetics and heart disease, production of diagnostic kits and imaging equipments

Improve medical procedures

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The interconnectivity

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Practical issues

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Current

WHO. alert over India made cough syrups after deaths in the Gambia. Attributed the death of 66 children to the syrup and several kidney injuries.

Indian government challenge WHO to provide the research to back up the clam.

WHO IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE ANSWER ?

WHO IS TO IMPLEMENT THE RESULT ?

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Way forward in bridging the gap

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Conclusion

The exist an interconnectivity between clinical research and clinical practice with several gaps.

Implementation of research result is in the hand of few stakeholders and often end up on paper rather than in practice and in actual treatment and care of individual patients .

Individual close to the stakeholders should educate them on the importance of evidence based research in clinical practice.

The marriage between clinical practice and clinical research should commence in Rivers state and Nigeria as a nation .