Let's talk medical research

Medical research is how new treatments and therapies move forward, but challenges surrounding patient recruitment can often lead to delays. Patients often have misconceptions about participating in a clinical trial — and if they are interested, they often aren’t sure where to begin.

Mitral valve regurgitation is a common kind of heart disease in the United States. Not only does it impact many people today, but its prevalence is expected to double by 2030.

Complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is a rare type of kidney disease, estimated to impact just 1 to 2 million people worldwide. C3G is a genetically inherited disorder that impacts all races and genders equally, and the average patient is diagnosed between the ages of 21 and 26.

The process of getting a new drug to market is an expensive one. Between 2009 and 2018, U.S. biopharmaceutical companies spent about $1 billion per drug according to an analysis published in JAMA, and other studies have found that it can cost up to $2.8 billion to bring a new therapy to market. In 2019 alone, research and development spending totaled $186 billion for the global pharmaceutical ...

Alexis Smith had eczema as an infant, but had lived a mostly itch-free childhood until hitting puberty at 12. That's when her symptoms came back.

Kidney diseases are one of the top causes of death in the United States, and worldwide, they impact nearly 10% of the population each year. Because chronic kidney disease typically has no cure, it is vital that medical research takes place to find new and more effective treatments for those who have been diagnosed.

Atopic dermatitis is a type of eczema, a skin condition caused by an overactive immune system that can lead to redness, blotchiness, and itching, typically on the face, arms, and legs. Atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema, impacting more than 9.6 million children and 16.5 million adults worldwide.

Skin cancer is more common than any other type of cancer, and melanoma causes a large majority of skin cancer-related deaths. While awareness surrounding melanoma and the importance of sun protection has risen in recent years, CDC research shows that melanoma rates have still doubled over the last three decades.

Not being able to recall an actor’s name or where you set down your keys is not always a major concern, but if these incidents are happening often — or causing you to forget life’s more important details — it’s understandable to worry.

Updated July 2022: