Aphasia research studies help doctors and clinicians to learn more about Aphasia and hopefully find better ways to safely detect, treat, or prevent Aphasia. In addition, they can help connect patients with new and upcoming treatment options. A person with Aphasia can participate in aphasia clinical trials which helps our Aphasia community.
All types of volunteers are needed – those who are healthy or may have an illness or disease – of all ages, sexes, races, and ethnicities. The variety ensures that the study results apply to as many people as possible and that treatments will be safe and effective for everyone using them.
Aphasia research studies can be related to many areas of Aphasia. They may focus on general areas of Aphasia or involve distinct types of Aphasia. For example, a current clinical study in the United Kingdom has an app that helps research participants with alexia, an acquired reading disorder frequently accompanying Aphasia. This study involves downloading the app from your favorite app store. Then, the researchers follow the participants’ progress using the app. They hope to improve the process to help the participants reach their reading goals quicker.
Most, but not all, aphasia clinical trials can be held on Zoom, eliminating the need to travel to the research site. In addition, you can usually receive “compensation” in the form of gift cards. Sometimes, the clinical trials reimburse travel, lodging, and medical testing expenses (ex. MRI).
For information about participating in a clinical research study, visit the National Institute of Health’s article Clinical Trials and You. There are several places to learn about aphasia research studies and aphasia clinical trials. The following are just a few places to look. Click on the bold text to go to their website.
The National Institute of Health can connect you with clinical trials from around the globe that are currently looking for people with Aphasia at ClinicalTrials.gov.
National Aphasia Association reports on current aphasia clinical trials and the results.
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Center for Aphasia Research & Treatment in Chicago, IL, is very well known for its rehab and research in stroke and Aphasia.
WCG CenterWatch has been recognized as a global leader in providing clinical trials and information, including clinical trials at the University of South Florida:
Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials is another place to find research studies.
Check out the bulletin board at the Aphasia Community Center for current postings about research studies.
