Local families with young babies encouraged to take part in important research study
More than 80 local families are taking part in an important research study aimed at helping to prevent babies and young children from being hospitalised by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but it’s not too late for parents to enrol.
Nimbuscare is working with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Research and Development department to participate in the study, which will evaluate the extent to which it’s possible to reduce the risk of babies becoming seriously unwell with RSV by giving them a single dose of the Nirsevimab vaccine.
Nimbuscare’s specialist clinic for babies and children, which is known as the Children’s Ambulatory Treatment (CAT) Hub and is based at the primary care provider’s Askham Bar Community Care Centre is one of several clinical trial sites across the Yorkshire and Humber region for the HARMONIE Research Study.
York GP Dr Rebecca Brown, who is also Child Health Lead for NImbuscare, said: “For the last couple of months, we’ve been looking for babies to take part in this important study and it’s great that more than 80 local families have come forward so far. However, we only have until the end of March to enrol families on to the study, so it’s important that anyone who would like to get involved makes contact with us as soon as possible.
“Parents with questions or concerns that they would like to talk through with our team are also encouraged to get in touch. Patients who enrol in the study will be reimbursed.”
This video provides more information about the study itself, and this case study tells the story of a mum of two whose baby daughter was hospitalised with RSV who now wants to make other parents aware of the importance of the study.
Parents who are interested and would like more information can also email the local research team.
The aim of the Harmonie Study is to reduce the 83 deaths; 45,136 hospital visits; 450,138 GP visits; and £76 million cost to the NHS resulting from RSV infection in infants in the UK each year.