About research
- Get involved in epilepsy research
Epilepsy Research UK does not run any trials itself.
We have no links with groups running trials
so we won't be able to help you get enrolled
in one via the office. However if you do want
to get involved in epilepsy research, here
are some possible avenues for exploration.
Taking part in a clinical research trial You'll have to contact the doctors running
the trial directly. In the UK there is no
central database of clinical trial information
for epilepsy. The Medical Research Council
is working with the NHS and other bodies
to develop a central register of clinical
trials for the UK. For the moment, however,
you should ask your doctor, or the health
professional you see most often, for information
about trials.
Helping in basic research
Basic researchers need human tissue for
their investigations. Using human tissue
is very heavily regulated by law in the
UK. Researchers can't take anyone's tissue
without the patient's informed consent:
you have to know that the tissue will be
kept and what it will be used for. You will
have to sign one or perhaps several consent
forms to confirm this.
If you have surgery for your epilepsy,
you may be asked if you consent to the doctors'
taking a sample of your tissue for research
purposes. If you want to help basic research
into epilepsy, please say yes.
Alternatively you can make a post-mortem
donation arrangement: you can arrange to
leave your body or a specific organ to a
hospital or research team for their work.
Contact your doctor to find out how this
can be done. You'll have to sign consent
forms for this too. You can always cancel
your consent if you change your mind afterwards.
Taking part in a qualitative research
trial Epilepsy Action are currently running
a number of qualitative research projects
you may be able to help them with. Have
a look at the research
pages on their website here.
