Website matches Alzheimer's patients with trials

In the quest to deliver patients better Alzheimer's care, there are inevitable roadblocks. One such inconvenience is there are often not enough subjects on which scientists test potentially groundbreaking drugs. However, a new online service may help bridge that gap and match patients with appropriate trials, Reuters reports.


The service, named TrialMatch, gives users the opportunity to fill out a profile, much like a dating website.

After the profile is completed, TrialMatch provides users with a list of drug trials for which they would be qualified.


Dr Reisa Sperling of Brigham and Women's Hospital told the news source that the patients are in high demand with a large number of trials slated for the near future.


"We're going to need over 10,000 Alzheimer's patients over the next five years to enroll just the trials that are already planned," Sperling told the news outlet.


With the number of individuals over the age of 65 expected to grow significantly in the coming years, having increased patient participation is especially important. The Alzheimer's Association reports that from 2000 to 2006, deaths from Alzheimer's increased 46 percent while death caused by stroke, breast cancer and heart disease all decreased.


© Copyright