The Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) hosted AWARE for All on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at the Johns Hopkins Turner Auditorium in Baltimore. The event, which was free and open to the public, educated and informed attendees about the ways in which clinical research helps advance health and medical knowledge.

The AWARE for All event kicked off with health screenings and informational exhibits from a wide variety of local health and clinical research organizations. Booths lined both sides of the room, offering information on various health conditions and free health screenings for conditions such as high blood pressure, HIV, hepatitis C, pediatric diabetes, glaucoma, oral cancer, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder.

Vendors included:

• ResearchMatch
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Immunization Research
• Alzheimer’s Association
• Susan G. Komen Maryland
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• The Mental Health Association of Maryland
• Maryland Insurance Administration
• Greater Baltimore Urban League
• The Colloca Lab from the University of Maryland School of Nursing
• Health Care for the Homeless
• The University of Maryland Baltimore Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (UMB ICTR)
• Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
• Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• MedStar Health Research Institute
• Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS)
• Chase Brexton POWER Project
• Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
• The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland

In her remarks, CISCRP’s Associate Director of Development & Community Engagement Ellyn Getz announced that CISCRP was dedicating this AWARE for All event in memory of Christine Pierre, a cherished advisory board member who passed away in October 2018 from ocular melanoma. Pierre, founder of the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS), was not only an industry leader, but an avid community speaker and role model. Pierre’s husband and son were in attendance, as was CISCRP’s CEO, Ken Getz, to honor Pierre’s life and legacy.

Keynote speeches and presentations on the importance of clinical research from Sean Soth and Casey Orvin of SCRS, and Dina Lansey of Johns Hopkins University (JHU), gave attendees an overview of clinical research, including what clinical research is, what can be learned from clinical trials, and the four phases of a clinical trial. These talks were followed by two panel discussions. The first focused on the experiences of clinical research study volunteers. CISCRP’s CEO Ken Getz led a Q&A discussion with study volunteers who have participated in clinical trials for HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, asthma, women’s health, and more. The second panel offered perspectives from local physicians and industry leaders on topics related to clinical research. Panelists discussed how to increase participation of diverse populations in clinical trials, how to make trials less burdensome for participants, the importance of giving patients access to clinical research, and how caring for each participant's experience from start to finish can positively impact their overall experience of a clinical trial.

Following the speakers and presentations, attendees were treated to the Medical Heroes Appreciation Ceremony honoring clinical research volunteers for the important role they have played in advancing medical knowledge. Attendees also enjoyed a raffle and other giveaways from the various organizations that participated in the event.

“Today serves as an important milestone in building awareness about both clinical research participation and the crucial role that clinical research volunteers play in advancing new medicines,” said Ellyn Getz. “The response AWARE for All has received from the Baltimore community has been heartwarming and convinces us even more of the important need this program fills.”

Speakers at the event included:

• Opening Remarks and Keynote - Casey Orvin, President of SCRS, and Sean Soth, SCRS Vice President of Global Business Partnerships
• Overview Presentation - Dina Lansey, Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion in Clinical Research at Johns Hopkins University

Panel 1

• Gail Graham, Study Volunteer
• Bernie Maas, Study Volunteer
• Ellyn Getz, Associate Director of Development & Community Engagement for CISCRP and Study Volunteer
• Ken Getz, CEO of CISCRP (Moderator)

Panel 2

• Dr. Rodrigo Garcia, Head of Global Clinical Applications and Innovation at EMD Serono
• Mary Hesdorffer, Executive Director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
• Petros Okubagzi, Assistant Vice President of Research Operations at MedStar Health Research Institute
• Dr. Fabian Sandoval, CEO & Research Director of Emerson Clinical Research Institute
• Ken Getz, CEO of CISCRP (Moderator)

AWARE for All was hosted by The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP). Sponsors for the event included Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, EMD Serono, ResearchMatch, Chase Brexton POWER Project, and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Additionally, outreach supporters for the event included the University of Maryland Baltimore’s Colloca Lab, Susan G. Komen, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Alzheimer’s Association, CenterWatch, The Conference Forum, Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland, and the Society for Clinical Research Sites. In-kind support was also provided by Wegmans.

About The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering people to make informed decisions about clinical research participation. Since its founding in 2004, the organization has been an international leader in promoting public trust of the clinical research enterprise and raising public awareness of clinical research’s role in improving public health. For more information or to set up interviews with leadership or speakers, please contact sarah@sarahrosepr.com or call 410.935.1940.