The STARR Coalition has announced a partnership with Verified Clinical Trials in an ongoing effort to create meaningful change by increasing communication, partnerships and goodwill among stakeholders in the areas of treatment, advocacy and pharmaceutical research with emphasis on consumers and patients’ mental health well-being.

Both organizations are dedicated to promoting patient and research subject safety as well as improved data quality in clinical trials focused on mental health. The two companies will collaborate to inspire their colleagues in medicine and clinical trials research to support patients with serious mental health conditions.

“We are thrilled to have been selected and partner with the STARR Coalition,” said Dr. Mitchell Efros, CEO of VCT. “Our partnership will allow both companies to work together and take big steps forward in improving the safety and data quality in mental health clinical trials.”

Kerri Weingard, COO of Verified Clinical Trials, added, “Verified Clinical Trials is committed to improving the experience and safety in clinical trials. We are intensely focused on CNS clinical trials, and in particular psychiatric clinical studies where we see one of the biggest need and utilization of our technology. We are working towards a single database registry that will benefit all mental health clinical trials and the entire research community. Our ultimate goal is to provide maximal safety and better data quality to deliver better medical care and options for the patient.”

“We are once again adrenalized by adding Verified Clinical Trials as a partner and stakeholder of The STARR Coalition,” said Carol Witham, board chair of The STARR Coalition. “The mission of VCT will help galvanize all stakeholders to ensure the safety of all individuals who bravely enter a clinical trial.”

VCT maintains the largest global clinical trial research subject database registry to counter attempts at duplicate enrollment in clinical trial research. The majority of phase I units utilize Verified Clinical Trials to protect their clinical trials. Verified Clinical Trials is specifically concentrated in psychiatry and CNS clinical trials and has amassed the most significant CNS research subject database.

Simultaneously enrolling in multiple clinical trials, or duplicate enrollment, has become a serious problem in the clinical research world. A growing number of research volunteers attempt to jump from one study to another without waiting for the appropriate amount of time to lapse. This creates dangerous issues for the drug manufacturer, the research site, the data quality, and, most importantly, the patient or volunteer.

There is a gap in the system of care. As a part of the holistic treatment approach, we understand research must continue to evolve to meet the needs of the patients. All individuals seeking assistance must know they have the ability and right to participate in clinical trials in the hopes of clearing the path for new opportunities in research. Patients also need the support of advocacy groups both locally and nationally to ensure accountability in their treatment as well as assist in understanding guidelines and rights of individuals in trials and treatment. 

The STARR Coalition recognizes many golden threads in this union between stakeholders. All parties share the goal of ensuring individuals find a personal level of recovery from their symptoms. Positive outcomes necessitate treatment compliance with individuals invested in their care and recovery. Advocacy groups provide a wealth of support and information to consumers and their caregivers or families. By directing efforts to strengthen advocacy organizations from grassroots to national levels, we reinforce cooperation among all participants.