The Veterinary Clinical Trials Network (VCTN)
The CEVM are working with a rapidly expanding network of over 70 practices to establish the feasibility and methodology for running pragmatic clinical trials within first opinion practice. Veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and clients are all involved in providing input to veterinary research. This can involve identifying research priorities, input to consensus based decisions on which outcomes to measure in trials and participation in trials.
Working with the Advanced Data Analysis Centre (ADAC) at the University of Nottingham, we have established a method for anonymised, automated data extraction from the animal’s clinical record and with the consent of the veterinary practice and the animal’s owner we are able to extract information on “real life” patients in a prospective manner. This gives us valuable insight into how patients respond to treatments and management strategies and which interventions are the most effective for particular patients. This information is then fed back to the veterinary community to assist decision making in practice and improve patient care.
We welcome input from all groups of people who are involved in veterinary decision making, from owners to veterinary surgeons and from physiotherapists to pharmaceutical companies. The priorities of those who best understand the needs of patients can be sometimes be overlooked in a traditional research environment, and we aim to redress the balance in this respect.
If you are interested in being involved in our work or finding out more, please contact us: