Press Articles

<< return to press index page

SCOTLAND is set to lead the way in a £26million drug trial

December 17, 2007

SCOTLAND is set to lead the way in a £26million trial of a new drug that could give hope to millions of arthritis sufferers.

The SCOT Trial (Standard care versus Celecoxib Outcome Trial) will compare different types of treatment for the condition which affects nine million people in the UK alone.

Scotland has been chosen to lead the project because of its unique patient electronic registration and tracking systems.

The trial will compare traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and diclofenac with a newer NSAID called Celecoxib. The University of Dundee will lead the testing, in partnership with the universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen.

Tom MacDonald, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Dundee, said: “There has been a long running debate as to the most effective pain relief with fewest side effects. This study will help us draw some solid conclusions to benefit arthritis sufferers.” Four hundred GP practices and 16,000 patients will participate in the three year trial.

Source: Daily Mail (London)