Let's talk medical research

1. Clinical trials are the only way that new drugs are tested to ensure that they are safe and that they work.

Last year on Clinical Trials Day, we took an in-depth look at the history of the clinical trial – a 269-year journey from a “like versus like” comparison test of citrus for scurvy to today’s randomized controlled trials. We’ve come a long way, but as we noted one year ago, there are miles to go. And we all need to play a part.

Clinical Trials Awareness Week is an annual occurrence that spotlights the importance of medical research. This year's focus is on enrollment and participation, which are absolutely crucial to ensuring that medical research advances. It's estimated that 80% of clinical trials are delayed or canceled due to a lack of enrollment, and these delays lead to the spending of unnecessary time and money ...

If you're reading this, chances are you are either living with diabetes, or know someone who is. It’s no surprise; the disease impacts one of every 11 people in the US. Whether the patient is you, a family member, or a friend, you’re no stranger to the daily struggle of maintaining insulin levels, of weighing every dietary choice against potential health ramifications. You know the annoyance of ...

Your mornings start early, and many nights are sleepless. You spend your days taking care of someone else. Maybe that someone else is your mother struggling with dementia, or your husband dealing with osteoarthritis. Maybe it’s your child who has diabetes, or your brother battling cancer. No matter what the situation, you are always on duty, with few precious moments for yourself. It’s exhausting ...

Two hundred sixty-eight years ago, the sailors aboard the HMS Salisbury were facing a very real fear: scurvy, a disease that had claimed the lives of more than a million sailors, had appeared on their ship. It was thought that perhaps drinking orange and lemon juice might prevent the disease, but no one knew for sure how to stop the life-threatening illness.

We just got back from an amazing week in Boston at the Disruptive Innovations Conference, where we unveiled our new self-service platform to the world. (See our previous blog post for details.) The response has been great, including this article in Forbes by John Nosta, one of the world's leading health influencers.