Are you a researcher who needs help with recruiting?
From time to time, local researchers seek subjects for their MS studies. When these opportunities arise, the Chapter makes this information available to you. See below for the most current local opportunities.
Are you a person with MS who may be interested in participating in a clinical trial?
Local Clinical Trials Recruiting Patients
To participate in some of these studies, you may have to reside near the facility, as treatment and follow-up visits will be necessary throughout the course of the study. Also, please keep in mind that clinical trials often have strict criteria for enrollment, specifying the type of people (disease type, duration, age, etc.) they are seeking to participate. These help to ensure that the results will be as reliable and as effective as possible. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial we encourage you to discuss the possibility with your personal physicians.
- The doctor-patient relationships and experiences adjusting to MS (dreaMS) Study
- Employment Study for Individuals Living With MS
- A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Natalizumab on Reducing Disability Progression in Subjects With Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (ASCEND SPMS)
- Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS): A research study investigating if patients stay longer on fingolimod compared to the other standard care MS drugs.
- DECIDE: Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized, Parallel-group, Monotherapy, Active-control Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Daclizumab High Yield Process (DAC HYP) versus Avonex® (Interferon β 1a) in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
- A combination trial of Copaxone plus Estriol in relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis
- Evaluation of a Comprehensive MS Symptom Questionnaire
- Exploratory Study of the Timing of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
- Genes and Environment in Multiple Sclerosis (GEMS): Integrating Genetic and Environmental Risks into an Algorithm to Predict Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility
- Functional and Volumetric Brain Imaging in Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
The doctor-patient relationships and experiences adjusting to MS (dreaMS) Study
| Recruitment Period: | December 13, 2011 – December 11, 2013 |
| Location of Study/Trial : | University at Albany, SUNY. Participants can participate entirely from home and may reside anywhere in the US. |
| Recruiting: | MS patients who are 18 years or older and have visited their MS medical care provider within the past year. |
| Principal Investigator: |
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Persons Raffanello, MPH; Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology at the University at Albany, SUNY
Faculty Advisor: Leslie Halpern, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University at Albany, SUNY. |
| Contacts: | Elizabeth Persons Raffanello, MPH: epersons@albany.edu. |
| Sponsor: | N/A |
Researchers at University at Albany, SUNY, are carrying out a study to learn more about doctor-patient relationships and experiences adjusting to Multiple Sclerosis. Please help us by completing our anonymous and confidential questionnaire. The questionnaire is online and it should take about 45 minutes to finish. Participants can enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
Your help matters! Your answers on our survey may ultimately help us improve the quality of the medical care that patients with Multiple Sclerosis receive.
To fill out the questionnaire, please visit the secure study website at www.surveymonkey.com/dreaMSstudy.
For more information, please contact the study’s Primary Investigator, Elizabeth Persons Raffanello, MPH, at epersons@albany.edu.
Employment Study for Individuals Living With MS
| Recruitment Period: | March 2012 – February 28, 2013 |
| Location of Study/Trial : | ONLINE Survey |
| Recruiting: | US citizens between the ages of 25-50 who are diagnosed with MS, were engaged in paid employment at the time of MS diagnosis and are currently experience a relapsing-remitting course of MS. |
| Principal Investigator: | Megan C. Castano, Ed.M., Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Student, Professional Development Program Assistant, Educational Opportunity Program |
| Contacts: | Megan Castano, Ed.M Seton Hall University; 400 South Orange Avenue; South Orange, N.J. 0707; megan.castano@student.shu.edu |
| Sponsor: | None |
Description
Investigators at Seton Hall University are conducting a research study investigating the emotional and physical factors that may have an impact on an individual’s employment status, following a diagnosis of MS. They are recruiting US citizens between the ages of 25-50 who are diagnosed with MS, were engaged in paid employment at the time of MS diagnosis and are currently experience a relapsing-remitting course of MS. The study will require a maximum time commitment of 30 minutes from each participant. Participants will complete a demographic questionnaire and the following assessments: the Revised Stress Related Growth Scale, the Multiple Sclerosis Self-Efficacy Scale, the Career Self-Efficacy Scale and the American version of Guy’s Neurological Disability Scale. Participation in this study is completely voluntary and individuals may withdraw from the study without any penalty, at any time. To ensure anonymity, each participant will complete an anonymous on-line survey through Survey Monkey.
Click here to go to the survey.
For more information, please contact megan.castano@student.shu.edu.
A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Natalizumab on Reducing Disability Progression in Subjects With Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (ASCEND SPMS).
| Recruitment Period: | November 2011-ongoing |
| Location of Study/Trial : |
Lahey Clinic |
| Recruiting: |
Inclusion
|
| Principal Investigator: | Ann Camac, MD, Lahey Clinic MS Center |
| Contacts: | Rik Ganguly, Study Coordinator, at 781-372-7196 or email Rik.Ganguly@Lahey.org |
| Sponsor: | Biogen Idec |
Purpose/Methodology:
In light of lack of therapy for SPMS patients, the study seeks to determine whether or not Natalizumab is effective in slowing disease progression. Patients will be randomized to either Natalizumab or Placebo in a 1:1 ratio. Placebo use is justified since there are no proven treatment options for SPMS patients. The study duration is 108 weeks and patients will be on study drug treatment for 96 weeks. Study drug will be administered once a month intravenously. Patients will come in for study visits once every 12 weeks (some of which will coincide with standard of care visits), which include neurological examination, EDSS assessment, physical examination, blood draw and urine sample collection, Timed-25-foot-walk test, 9-hole-peg test, 6-minute-walk test, Brain MRI, symbol digit modality test, and response to questionnaires regarding quality of life measures.
Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS): A research study investigating if patients stay longer on fingolimod compared to the other standard care MS drugs.
| Recruitment Period: | 6/18/12 – 6/18/13 |
| Location of Study/Trial : |
Beacon Clinical Research |
| Recruiting: | First-degree relatives (parent, sibling, or child) of MS patients; subjects are between 18-50 years of age |
| Principal Investigator: | Dr. Mushtaque Chachar is the Medical Director of General Adult Neurology at Boston Neuro Behavioral Associates and a Principal Investigator for Beacon Clinical Research, LLC- New Bedford, MA. Dr. Chachar is also Neurologist at St. Lukes Hospital in New Bedford, MA. |
| Contacts: |
Laurel Peters, Ph: 508-990-9555, E: Laurel@beaconclinical.com Marisol Ocasio, Ph:508-584-2030, ext.210, E: Marisol@beaconclinical.com |
| Sponsor: | Novartis |
Description of Study/Trial:
Researches want to find out if an approved FDA drug GILENYA (fingolimod) can help patients with relapsing forms MS. The main purpose is to learn if people with relapsing-remitting MS stay longer on fingolimod compared to the other standard care MS drugs. The study will also learn about the safety and side effects of fingolimod compared to the other MS drugs. Safety and side effects will be studied for up to 12 months. No Placebo is used in this study. Therefore, all patients enrolled in this study will be treated by active drug of either fingolimod or currently approved first line DMTs. The population being recruited is both men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 who have relapsing-remitting MS and are in the early stages of treatment.
DECIDE:
Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized, Parallel-group, Monotherapy, Active-control Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Daclizumab High Yield Process (DAC HYP) versus Avonex® (Interferon β 1a) in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
| Recruitment Period: |
August 2010—ongoing |
| Location of Study/Trial : |
MS Center at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center |
| Recruiting: |
Subjects ages 18-55 with relapsing-remitting MS, who are able to walk without any assistive aids, such as a cane or walker. Subjects must have had two or more clinical relapses within the previous 3 years with at least 1 clinical relapse in the 12 months prior to randomization OR one or more clinical relapses and one or more new MRI lesions within the previous 2 years.
Exclusion criteria |
| Principal Investigator: |
Joshua Katz, MD, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, MS Center. Ellen Lathi, MD, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, MS Center. |
| Contacts: | Marissa Hone, Study Coordinator, at 671-789-3171, or email marissa.hone@steward.org |
| Sponsor: | Biogen |
Description of Study/Trial:
The purpose of this study is to compare daclizumab high-yield process (also called DAC HYP) to Avonex in the treatment of relapsing remitting MS. This study will also allow researchers to learn more about the safety of long-term treatment with DAC HYP in patients with MS.
Subjects will be seen by neurologists for cognitive testing, have routine MRIs, ECGs and blood draws during the study visits, which will be over 2-3 years depending on time of enrollment.
Subjects will be required to travel to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center for appointments.
For more information, please contact Marissa Hone, Study Coordinator, at 617-789-3171, or email marissa.hone@steward.org.
A combination trial of Copaxone plus Estriol in relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis
| Recruitment Period: |
June 2007- ongoing |
| Location of Study/Trial : |
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, |
| Recruiting: |
Females 18-50 with relapsing-remitting MS, who are able to walk without any assistive aids such as a cane or walker, and have had at least one relapse within the last 2 years. |
| Principal Investigator: |
Vijay M. Thadani Director, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, MS Center. |
| Contacts: | Laurie Rizzo, Study Coordinator, at 603-653-9947, or email Laurie.S.Rizzo@hitchcock.org |
| Sponsor: | funded by the National MS Society and the National Institutes of Health. |
Description of Study/Trial:
The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of oral Estriol in combination with Copaxone injections is safe; if the use of combination treatment causes a decrease in relapse rates; if there is more rapid improvement on brain MRI with the combination treatment; if there is an improvement in disability measures with the combination treatment.
Subjects will be seen by neurologists, gynecologists and for cognitive testing during the study visits, which will be over 24 months.
Subjects will be required to travel to Dartmouth-Hitchcock medical center for appointments.
For more information, please contact Laurie Rizzo, Study Coordinator, at 603-653-9947, or email Laurie.S.Rizzo@hitchcock.org.
Evaluation of a Comprehensive MS Symptom Questionnaire
| Recruitment Period: | 5/1/11-8/15/12 |
| Location of Study/Trial: | Nationwide. The study can be completed by mail or online. |
| Recruiting: |
Must meet following criteria:
|
| Principal Investigator: |
Erin M. Snook, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA |
| Contacts: |
Erin Snook (esnook@kin.umass.edu) 413-545-6007 |
| Sponsor: | Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers |
Description of Study/Trial:
Researchers in the Physical Activity and Behavior Lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are currently recruiting individuals with MS for a study of MS symptoms. This is a voluntary study that is testing a new comprehensive symptom questionnaire to determine how well it is able to measure the severity, frequency, and distressfulness of MS symptoms. The study can be completed by mail or online and participants will be compensated for their time and effort. Participants in the study must have a definite diagnosis of MS and be between 20-70 years old. Anyone interested in more information should contact Dr. Erin Snook by email esnook@kin.umass.edu or telephone (413) 545-6007.
Exploratory Study of the Timing of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
| Recruitment Period: |
Start Date – 11/1/11 End date – 11/1/13 |
| Location of Study/Trial: | Study is based out of University of Louisville, but participants can reside anywhere in the US. |
| Recruiting: | Adult women diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS |
| Principal Investigator: | Cynthia Corbitt, PhD; University of Louisville, Department of Biology, Louisville, KY. |
| Contacts: |
Research staff: 502-994-7723 Recruitment flyer |
| Sponsor: | This study does not receive any outside funding |
Description of Study/Trial:
Participants will complete a health survey (including time since diagnosis, menstrual cycle information, current medications, etc) and a 30-day retrospective health diary during an instructional phone call, during which the subject will first go through informed consent procedures. Then the participant will complete a prospective 90-day health diary, which researchers will use to statistically look at the timing of multiple sclerosis symptoms. Participants will be involved with the study for a total four (4) months.
Genes and Environment in Multiple Sclerosis (GEMS): Integrating Genetic and Environmental Risks into an Algorithm to Predict Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility
| Recruitment Period: | September 1, 2010 - August 31, 2015 |
| Location of Study/Trial: | Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Harvard Medical School. Potential subjects do not have to come to Boston and could reside anywhere in the U.S. |
| Recruiting: | First-degree relatives (parent, sibling, or child) of MS patients; subjects are between 18-50 years of age |
| Principal Investigator: | Philip De Jager, MD, PhD; Associate Professor of Neurology at the Harvard Medical School, Director of Basic and Clinical Research of the BWH Neurosciences Institute, and Director of Program in Translational NeuroPsychiatric Genomics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital |
| Contacts: | Irene Wood, 617-264-5980, bwhmsstudy@partners.org |
| Sponsor: | Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center |
Description of Study/Trial:
To identify the genetic, environmental, immune, and neuroimaging profiles that may increase a person’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Obtaining information about who is at risk for MS will be beneficial in the future in identifying effective ways to screen or prevent this disease.
Study of Functional and Volumetric Brain Imaging in Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Also informally known as MS Imaging Research
| Recruitment Period: | December 2009 – December 2013 |
| Location of Study/Trial: |
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, NH 03756 |
| Recruiting: | MS patients with Relapsing-Remitting MS or Secondary-Progressive MS who are between the ages of 18 and 60 as well as healthy controls in the same age group. |
| Principal Investigator: | Heather Wishart, PhD., Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Neuropsychology Program and Brain Imaging Lab at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center |
| Contacts: |
Susan Cronenwett at (603) 650-8706 or Susan.Cronenwett@Dartmouth.edu Jennifer Randolph at (603) 650-2665 or Jennifer.S.Randolph@Dartmouth.edu |
The purposes of the study are to test new MRI methods for MS, to test for effects of MS medications on brain activity and other MRI outcomes, and to improve understanding of the neurological basis of MS symptoms.
Methodology: Participants will undergo brain MRI, and complete a series of neuropsychological tests of cognitive functions such as memory and attention. An optional blood draw can be included for gene typing. The MRI lasts about 60 minutes. Neuropsychological testing usually takes about 3 hours, and breaks for lunch, coffee, stretching, etc are provided. Participation is usually a single visit and can be spread over two days. A few participants will be asked to return for a second visit as long as a year after the first.
NO drugs, dyes, gadolinium or injections are used in this study.
Compensation: Participants will be compensated for their time and travel. Call for details.
Do you need help recruiting participants for an MS research study?
The Greater New England Chapter may be able to assist PhD and/or MD-level researchers recruit people with MS and/or family members for appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research/clinical trial studies.
If you are the primary investigator and would like the chapter’s assistance to recruit participants for your MS research, please submit a letter of request to the chapter.
Please include the following information:
- Name of trial/study
- Name and Academic credentials of the Principal Investigator (PI)
- Description of study to include: purpose, who is being recruited, and methodology of study
- Start and end dates for recruitment phase of study
- Copy of Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval letter
- Any other information as requested by the chapter
Once approved, research recruitment will be posted at the chapter website and in the chapter newsletter as space allows. Targeted mailings to chapter members for the purpose of recruiting study participants will be considered only if staff resources are available and funding for the mailing is provided.
The chapter does not assist in the recruitment of participants for market research studies. The chapter reserves the right to decline participation in the recruitment process for any research study for any reason.
Send all requests to:
David Young-Hong
Director of Clinical & Long-Term Care Services
National MS Society, Greater New England Chapter
101A First Avenue, Suite 6
Waltham, MA, 02451
David.young-hong@nmss.org
Other Clinical Trials
Other research opportunities in New England and other areas of the country