Montana Pediatric Clinical Trials Site

University Of Montana, Missoula MT

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Rural-residing children experience higher rates of preventable conditions such as diabetes and cancer relative to their urban counterparts, yet clinical trial research in rural populations has lagged behind similar research in urban populations. The NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ECHO ISPCTN) was established in 2016 to address this important gap. The Montana Pediatric Clinical Trials Site (MPCTS) has been active and engaged in the ECHO ISPCTN since its inception. A site with limited clinical trial infrastructure prior to the ECHO ISPCTN, MPCTS has built the infrastructure necessary to successfully engage in multiple Network research studies and clinical trials, such as the Vitamin D Oral Replacement in Asthma clinical trial (VDORA1; NCT03686150) and now the Bronchiolitis Recovery and the Use of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters clinical trial (BREATHE; NCT05615870). Through this experience, the MPCTS team has gained the expertise necessary not only to implement protocols but also to lead their development, conduct, and dissemination. The long-term goal of MPCTS continues to be building sustainable capacity for pediatric clinical trial research in Montana that includes children living in rural areas. As we look toward Cycle 3, our objective is to design, implement, and disseminate clinical trials in multiple ECHO focus areas. We will achieve this objective through established partnerships, development of early career investigators, and by leveraging the existing and rapidly growing infrastructure and expertise supporting clinical research at the University of Montana. From study design to return of results, we will increase the impact and relevance of the work to Montana children. MCPTS provides the infrastructure, expertise, proven success, and growing capacity to engage partners, ensuring that multicenter clinical trial research is more generalizable and beneficial to all Montana pediatric populations. This will improve both the quality of the clinical trials research and the health outcomes of children across the ECHO ISPCTN including in states such as Montana.