Participating in cystic fibrosis clinical trials
At just three months old, Rianna Bhardwaj was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. It is estimated that one in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis and, at present, there is no known cure. Clinical trials are integral to bringing new therapeutics and better care to Canadians living with this disease.
“I think it’s important to do clinical trials because it can help other people stay healthy,” says Rianna, who at 13 years old has participated in 13 clinical trials to help advance treatment for people living with cystic fibrosis.
“Rianna has actually benefited directly from two of her clinical trials, but there are some clinical trials that we’ve done that she’s never going to benefit from – but someone else will,” says Rianna’s mother Lina Bhardwaj. “At the end of the day, we’re all working together to find a cure.”
Watch Rianna and Lina’s story:
Thank you Rianna, Lina and Cystic Fibrosis Canada for sharing this story as part of the #TalkClinicalTrials campaign to build awareness of clinical trials. Share your story as part of this blog series by emailing info@ctontario.ca or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #TalkClinicalTrials.
Helping you navigate clinical trials
Are you thinking of engaging with clinical trials? We have tools and resources that can help. Visit our Learn About Clinical Trials page for information about what clinical trials are and what you should know before engaging with one.
You can also use our Clinical Trial Finder tool to find open clinical trials in Ontario or across Canada. You can search by disease, location or demographics.About #TalkClinicalTrials
#TalkClinicalTrials, a campaign led by Clinical Trials Ontario with support from many voices, is building awareness of clinical trials. Why? Because clinical trials matter to all of us. They help to generate better treatments and technologies and ultimately help shape the future of medicine. Engagement from patients and the public is critical to shape and conduct high-quality clinical trials.