Once again this year, Q-CROC and the centers in its network will be celebrating International Clinical Trials Day, which is held every May 20 throughout the world. Several activities will take place in the network’s member institutions during the month of May, including information booths (CHUM, MUHC, CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent, CIUSSS du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, CISSS des Laurentides and CISSS de Chaudière-Appalaches) and a conferences :
– « La recherche clinique et ses retombées inestimables pour le CISSS des Laurentides et la communauté » – May 18th from noon to 1 pm
– « Un essai clinique en cancer, c’est quoi? » (CHUM) – May 19th from noon to 1 pm
In addition, many centers and patient associations will be marking the occasion on social networks in the coming weeks. Follow us on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss anything! Visit our web page specially created to mark the day.
Why is the month of May associated with clinical research?
We need to jump back in time almost 300 years to answer this question. On May 20, 1747, a young Scottish physician named James Lind undertook what is now considered the first clinical trial. Dr. Lind was looking for ways to treat a group of sailors who had contracted scurvy. So he set out to compare various treatments by separating the sailors into several small groups. A few days after the start of their treatment, the sailors to whom he had administered citrus fruits saw their symptoms disappear. Although the methodology has since been greatly refined, Dr. Lind had just found a cure for scurvy and laid the foundation for clinical research. That’s why the contribution of clinical trials to the advancement of medicine and health care is now celebrated every May 20 around the world.