Volunteers needed for Yale clinical trials

New Haven, Conn (WTNH) - There is no cure for Type I diabetes, known as juvenile diabetes and common among children. Now a clinical trial at Yale School of Medicine could change the overall landscape.
 
Dr. Kevan Herold heads up the research at Yale. He said, "The purpose of the trial is to determine whether a drug that we've used for people with diabetes will actually be able to prevent the development of the disease in people who are at very high risk."

Yale is one of six infusion sites in the country.

The challenge, though, is finding people for the study, like Kelli Oliver who has a family history.

Her brother Dean, has been treated for Type I diabetes since he was 13 years old.  That puts Kelli more at risk for also developing it.   
 
That's why she enrolled in the trial.  

Kelli says, "Complications of Type I diabetes include neuropathy, cardio vascular disease, blindness even.  These are real problems that we have to take the initiative to change, its not a problem, if there's a solution and that's what we are working on."  
 
She is only the fifth person enrolled in the nationwide randomized placebo controlled trial.

Dr. Herold says, "To identify 150 people, we need to screen a large number."

Compounding the issue is the fact that this diabetes study is among hundreds at Yale looking for participants.

The public push to help discover cures is all about realizing potential life-saving treatments.  

Dr. David Lefell, Deputy Dean for Clinical Affairs, said, "We have a large number of critical trials and the number is increasing." He added, "Also that as the school of medicine focuses on translating discoveries from the laboratory to the bedside, there's more demand for volunteers in critical trials."
 
Especially needed are volunteers among minorities, adolescents and cancer patients.

People who sign on like Kelli are monitored closely, getting the best health care possible for free.

Dr. Herold said, "If the study proves successful, then people will begin to think about stopping diabetes before it actually happens."

"When it comes down to it," Kelli said, "Do you want to watch history happen or do you want to be a part of history?"

It is estimated that Type I diabetes will double among children in 20 years. That's why the research is so critical.

For more information on this study and countless others at Yale log onto www.yalestudies.org .