In the long-reaching shadow of COVID-19, research at The University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) continues unabated.
UNDA’s Institute for Health Research (IHR) and MGC Pharma are ramping up recruitment efforts and pushing ahead to deploy medical cannabis for eligible patients with dementia.
Researchers and project partners had hit a new milestone in the publication of the study protocol for the clinical trial last year before the pandemic’s full effects were known.
But despite the many issues around borders, importing medical supplies, lockdowns, and the obstacles of getting into aged care facilities to reach patients, Dr Amanda Timler and her team have been working hard to ensure this vital research can continue.
“COVID-19 did cause some issues for all research projects across the board,” Dr Timler said
“There has been a six month to a year gap where we have been waiting for lockdown restrictions to be lifted within the aged care facility, but during this time, we have been able to stay engaged with facilities that are interested and refine our research processes.”
Through positive relationships with aged care providers and further good news in the form of changes to the Western Australian Guardianship and Administration Act (1990), the research itself never stopped and has broadened in opportunity.
“We’re really in a good place where we can include those with moderate to severe dementia,” Dr Timler said.
“So we’ve been able to expand the scope of our study to be able to include those who we think will benefit the most from the medication.”
Whereas researchers were initially unable to gain next of kin consent for those experiencing moderate to severe dementia, this change to the Act means next of kin are now able to authorise the participation of family members for a clinical trial, which has effectively opened the door for a far wider range of participants to become eligible.
“We screened seven participants before Christmas who can now be taking part in the trial, but they wouldn’t have even been eligible before the change in the Act,” Dr Timler said.
Still recruiting, Dr Timler said the initial strict criteria for participants’ eligibility had caused some issues, especially when it came to those who seemed to be eligible before deteriorating further and entering the moderate to severe stage of their condition, thereby nullifying their eligibility.
“We were going to facilities, and they were saying ‘we have 60 residents’, from which we could initially see perhaps 20 being eligible. But then when you start looking into their histories, their case files and through the inclusion requirements, suddenly it’s whittled down to just two individuals,” she added.
It’s been challenging, and obstacles have been thrown in her path. Still, Dr Timler remains optimistic about the study, keen for the work to result in positive outcomes for those who have dementia and the families and friends who have to endure the pain of watching their loved ones with this condition.
“I want this project to succeed,” Dr Timler expressed.
“I’ve been very persistent with it. We’re in a good space now to keep going, and I’m happy to be busy. I’m happy to have sleepless nights because I can see movement and progress and things finally starting to happen on the ground again.”
Institute for Health Researcher Director Professor Jim Codde said the project was “not without its challenges” but added that “the potential good for people who have dementia drives us on. As the COVID-19 period has shown, we need good science to help shine a light on the best way forward.”