The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging the public and patients as partners in the clinical research process, has announced the upcoming launch of AWARE for All 2021—a free virtual event series designed to educate the general public about clinical trial research and participation. In the series’ second year, CISCRP will host five regional AWARE for All virtual events across the country from April through November 2021, with a focus on engaging diverse communities to ensure representative and inclusive clinical research for the future.
Supported by local research teams, advocacy groups, and members of the AWARE Industry Consortium (AIC), each regional AWARE for All 2021 event will focus on select medical conditions and therapeutic areas including, but not limited to, COVID-19, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. The events offer participants a 90-minute, user-friendly webinar led by medical professionals, short informational videos to help participants better understand the process and importance of clinical research, facilitated conversations with real patients sharing their experiences with clinical trials, and a five-minute exercise break to help encourage healthy habits.
Attendees can also visit an online informational exhibit center featuring clinical research and healthcare resources that are free to access throughout the event. The informational center for each event will include exhibits presented by AIC members, including Genentech, Janssen, Otsuka, Pfizer, Biogen, IQVIA, Novartis, CSL Behring, EMD Serono, and WCG, in addition to local advocacy organizations. Attendees can expect a “traditional” event booth experience in a digital format, with one-on-one conversations with company representatives, interactive informational collateral, and digital downloads.
“As we head into our second year with AWARE for All 2021, we have been able to expand to even more communities across the U.S., driving attention to clinical research via locally common conditions and therapeutic areas—all of which are currently the focus of clinical research and require a diverse patient population,” said Phyllis Kaplan, senior manager for events and community engagement at CISCRP. “Through this event series, we hope to give participants a front row seat to learn about not only what clinical trials are, but also what clinical research could mean for the community as a whole and, potentially, themselves as they pursue the best treatment possible.”
The 2021 events include:
- AWARE for All Northeast (Boston; New York; Washington, D.C.; Hartford/New Haven, Conn.; Baltimore) on Thursday, April 15, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. EDT.
- AWARE for All Northwest (Seattle; Portland, Ore.; San Francisco; Boise, Idaho; Billings, Mont.) on Thursday, May 20, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. MDT.
- AWARE for All Midwest (Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Indianapolis; Minneapolis) on Thursday, July 22, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. CDT.
- AWARE for All Southwest (Los Angeles; Dallas/Houston; Phoenix; Denver; Las Vegas) on Thursday, October 21, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. MST.
- AWARE for All Southeast (Nashville; Charleston, S.C.; Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.) on Thursday, November 18, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. EST.
“For nearly 20 years, CISCRP’s mission has been to educate individuals on the positive effects clinical research has on patient outcomes, and we’ve found reaching out through thoughtful, community-based efforts like AWARE for All—even amid the pandemic—is where we can make the biggest impact,” said Ken Getz, founder and chairman of CISCRP. “While awareness for clinical research has never been higher, we understand there is still a level of hesitation and lack of clarity among the general public. Now is arguably the most important time in history to educate these communities about the clinical trial process and introduce potential participants to studies that can lead to even more groundbreaking discoveries.”
To learn more about AWARE for All 2021, including community registration information, visit ciscrp.org/events/aware-for-all/aware-for-all-events-2021. Organizations interested in sponsoring the series or exhibiting in the virtual informational exhibit center should contact CISCRP at awareforall@ciscrp.org or 877.633.4376.
Edited by Gary Cramer
