Celebrating medical innovation on Clinical Trials Day

By Drs. Tracy Webb and Kristen Weishaar

May 20 is Clinical Trials Day, as designated by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) in 2014. Clinical Trials Day commemorates the first randomized clinical trial, started by James Lind in May of 1747, to determine the best treatment for scurvy. Clinical Trials Day recognizes the power and purpose of all clinical research professionals, who help move innovative therapies from scientific discovery to treatments that improve health outcomes and benefit generations to come.

At Colorado State University, researchers conduct hundreds of clinical trials that provide key insights for human and animal health. Many of these clinical trials occur in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, home to the country’s leading veterinary college for scientific research funding and one of the top Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs in the nation. The college is a leader in training new researchers and clinician-scientists, and in producing high-impact and translational research that brings new and improved diagnostics and treatments to animals and humans alike.

CSU researchers, including faculty, staff, and students, plus many collaborators across the world, are involved from the idea generation stage to the laboratory and then to clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of new procedures, drugs, and devices in the hopes of bringing these treatments to the broader community.

The James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Johnson Family Equine Hospital, Equine Reproduction Laboratory, and Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories in CSU’s Veterinary Health System are committed to a shared vision of extraordinary people providing exceptional service with passion and purpose. This includes conducting research that helps improve detection, diagnosis, and treatment of animal and human illnesses. Other areas across CSU’s campus, such as the One Health Institute, Center for Healthy Aging, College of Health and Human Sciences, and Translational Medicine Institute, also engage in innovative clinical trials. The Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) facilitates impactful local interprofessional collaborations and support. CSU is also very involved in the Clinical and Translational Science Award One Health Alliance (COHA), which unites many veterinary and medical schools across the country to work together in this area.

Advances in medical care cannot happen without the work of clinical researchers and the animals and people who participate in clinical trials. Clinical Trials Day is a way to recognize and thank all of those who work to rigorously test new diagnostics and treatments to improve health outcomes for all. If you would like more information or want to support clinical trials and clinical researchers at CSU, please check out the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s clinical trials website or reach out by email.

Dr. Tracy Webb is a veterinary clinician scientist and associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. Dr. Kristen Weishaar is a veterinary oncologist and director of clinical trials at the Flint Animal Cancer Center.