Intro to Clinical Research

It’s time for us to update you on current events, medical research or drugs in the news! We’ve got a few stories at different points in their research journey, from just getting started to failing publicly, and an update on regulation changes in the UK. 

Remember, you can get in touch with us via clinical.research.intro@gmail.com. Please feel free to send questions, comments and compliments for Elyse to read out on the pod. It’s fun to make Debbie squirm!

Credit to our friend Sam Winnie for their awesome and cute music. Check out their work at https://www.samwinnie.com/

References - 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gllr5y3n2o

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/cancer-jab-can-eradicate-entire-tumours-in-patients-trial-shows

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/trial-of-multi-cancer-blood-test-among-142000-nhs-patients-fails-to-meet-main-aim

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/538

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/policies-standards-legislation/clinical-trials-investigational-medicinal-products-ctimps/clinical-trial-regulations-reform/

Episode 60  

In this episode, we’re back in Elyse’s corner (hooray!), and today, we’re talking about the interstitium (with a prelude into the human lymphatic system). Don’t worry if you have no clue what either of those things are, we’re doing a basic guide today but check out the references for much more info!

Remember, you can get in touch with us via clinical.research.intro@gmail.com. Please feel free to send questions, comments and compliments for Elyse to read out on the pod. It’s fun to make Debbie squirm!

Credit to our friend Sam Winnie for their awesome and cute music. Check out their work at https://www.samwinnie.com/

References -

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-23062-6.pdf 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6399417/ 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/meet-your-interstitium-a-newfound-organ/

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/05/11/magazine/interstitium-anatomy-acupuncture-medicine.html

This is part 2 of our discussion on interpretation of GCP. If you haven’t listened to part 1, I recommend going and checking that out first. We’re covering a few more examples where ICH GCP sets out the principles and practices that should be followed to have harmonised, quality research. 

Remember, you can get in touch with us via clinical.research.intro@gmail.com. Please feel free to send questions, comments and compliments for Elyse to read out on the pod. It’s fun to make Debbie squirm!

Credit to our friend Sam Winnie for their awesome and cute music. Check out their work at https://www.samwinnie.com/

Today, we’re finally getting into why Debbie says “it depends” so much in answer to many of Elyse’s questions. We’re looking at how ICH GCP sets out the principles and practices that should be followed to have harmonised, quality research. This is part 1, so stay tuned for part 2 following soon! 

Remember, you can get in touch with us via clinical.research.intro@gmail.com. Please feel free to send questions, comments and compliments for Elyse to read out on the pod. It’s fun to make Debbie squirm!

Credit to our friend Sam Winnie for their awesome and cute music. Check out their work at https://www.samwinnie.com/

Today, Debbie throws us all back into the Philosophy Ravine together to discuss medical ethics. We’re going to talk about what it is and use the framework of Medical Ethics to consider two case studies - the Minnesota Starvation Experiments and Covid-19 Challenge Studies. Content Warning - this podcast does discuss WW2, and experiments where patients chose to restrict their access to food. 

Remember, you can get in touch with us via clinical.research.intro@gmail.com. Please feel free to send questions, comments and compliments for Elyse to read out on the pod. It’s fun to make Debbie squirm!

Credit to our friend Sam Winnie for their awesome and cute music. Check out their work at https://www.samwinnie.com/

References - 

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4258#:~:text=In%20the%20current%20pandemic%2C%20over%2038%20000,a%20non%2Dprofit%20organisation%20advocating%20for%20these%20volunteers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56097088#:~:text=Getty%20Images,more%20than%2015%20million%20people. 

https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/the-rise-of-the-guinea-pigs 

https://thispodcastwillkillyou.com/2025/10/14/episode-190-starvation-more-than-hunger/ 

Firsthand: The Minnesota semi-starvation experiment, University Publications, Archives & Special Collections, Colorado State University https://hdl.handle.net/10217/02.0036381