Every day, we see many children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) at Florida Clinical Research Center. There are times when these children have been previously diagnosed in another setting; but often times, we are the first to provide the formal diagnosis through extensive testing and interviews.

Why would someone call us? Perhaps they have heard our advertisements or perhaps we have helped a friend or neighbor by changing the course of that child’s life. There are many different reasons why people consider volunteering for medical studies.

We have found that children with ADHD are bright, creative and engaging. With proper treatment, children are able to live up to their full potential in school and in their relationships with others.

It's important to note that not all children require medication for the treatment of ADHD. Sometimes family support, behavioral therapy, and education are enough to manage symptoms. If medication is recommended, there are many benefits of participating in a Clinical Research Trial. There is close monitoring of the child’s health - blood pressure, heart rate / rhythm, and weight are checked routinely. Children have laboratory testing at the beginning and the end of their study participation. The parents and the child will be questioned on their symptoms of ADHD at every visit, which allows for a medically-based educational dialogue free of cost.

It is not a guarantee that the child will improve during the Clinical Trial as many of the studies are placebo controlled, but sometimes access to information can at least provide a step forward. Participation is always voluntary and the trial can be stopped at any time for any reason. Upon completion or termination of the trial, we can then proceed to a treatment approach for the child’s ADHD. During involvement with our clinic, the family will be given a 24 hour cell phone number to reach us at any time should they have questions or concerns.

Want to learn more about child & teen ADHD or to see if your child qualifies for one of our studies? Contact us!

by Kimberly Blozie of CureTak

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Andrew Cutler, CEO and CMO of Florida Clinical Research Center a few weeks ago.  Dr. Cutler has worked in the field of psychiatry for the past 18 years and launched Florida Clinical Research Center (often abbreviated as the FCRC) about 13 years ago.  FCRC specializes in Central Nervous System (CNS) and psychiatry clinical trials, but also conducts clinical trials for migraines, insomnia, fibromyalgia, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, smoking cessation, constipation and more.  Dr. Cutler was a very gracious and knowledgeable interviewee, we spoke mainly on clinical trials recruitment and how the field has changed over the past decade.

I hope you enjoy this interview:

me: How many clinical trials has FCRC conducted since it opened and how many physicians do you have working at both the Bradenton and Maitland locations?

Dr. Cutler: We’ve run between 300 and 350 trials and we have 4 doctors at the Bradenton location and 4 at the Maitland location

me: Do you find clinical trials difficult to recruit for and if so, why?

Dr. Cutler: It really depends on the indication. Some are harder to accrue for than others. It also depends on the eligibility criteria. For example, one depression study can be easy to accrue for, and other depression studies can be very difficult. Recruitment at FCRC has also evolved in a variety of ways over the years. We have patient databases where we contact patients who said they wanted to learn about clinical trials for particular conditions, and will let them know about appropriate clinical trials. We use traditional media such as radio, newspaper and TV ads. We’ve also revamped our website and now we are investing in the internet. We are always looking for new ways to reach out to people which is why are working with TrialX.

me: Do attitudes still need to change about clinical research or is it that some conditions are always going to accrue better such as depression or obesity versus post-herpetic neuralgia or some other rarer condition?

READ MORE OF THIS INTERVIEW

Sure, we all feel sad from time to time. That’s life – good days, bad days and then a lot of in between. In fact, sometimes a good ole fashion cry session is just what you need to power through a difficult situation. But what happens when you can’t really remember the last “good day” you had? Or, what if your sadness envelopes you in such a way that a constant sense of hopelessness starts to fit you better than your favorite pair of jeans? When the things that once brought you joy give way to an ongoing feeling of emptiness, it’s time to recognize that this doesn’t have to be your new norm.

So what turns a general feeling of unhappiness into true depression? Well, according to the National Institute of Mental Health…more than feeling sad, clinical depression is a common, real and treatable illness. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting more than 19 million Americans each year. This mental affliction causes people to lose pleasure from daily life, can complicate other medical conditions, and can even be serious enough to lead to suicide. Depression can occur to anyone, at any age, and to people of any race or ethnic group.  Depression is never a “normal” part of life, no matter what your age, gender or health situation.

Where do clinical trials fit in with depression? Whether a person wants more information, is interested in alternative treatments for an existing mental health or medical condition, needs to seek care due to lack of health insurance, would like to receive a second opinion or simply wants to assist in the advancement of science, participation in a clinical trial helps to develop medical therapies that may someday offer better treatments for depression.

Clinical trial facilities like Florida Clinical Research Center in Central and West Florida (Maitland and Bradenton) conduct numerous FDA supervised investigational medical studies in hopes of assisting with approval for new depression treatment options. Lead by Andrew J. Cutler, M.D., it is our mission to perform the highest quality medical research with personalized attention and care.

If you’d like more information, click here to speak with one of our recruitment coordinators.

Melissa Orlov, author of "The ADHD Effect on Marriage," has spent five years studying the issues surrounding ADHD and relationships. In her book, she writes that couples are often unaware of how ADHD plays a role in their marital problems, but that once they understand certain patterns, they can make a positive change in their marriage. WATCH VIDEO.

“ADHD is a very common, inherited brain condition that causes silent suffering and keeps people from reaching their potential at school, work and home.  It affects every relationship a person has, and leads to frustration and disappointment in everyone involved.  As many as 10% of people of all ages have ADHD, and brain scans show that parts of the brain that normally modulate attention and behavior are not working the way they should.  ADHD is genetic, so you are born with it.  No one causes it and the inconsistent behavior and performance of people with ADHD isn’t under their control or done on purpose, although it can appear that way.  It can lead to depression, anxiety and alcohol or drug use.

As this excellent video from the Today show illustrates, appropriate treatment that includes medication and learning lifestyle and communication skills can lead to dramatic improvement in function and healthier relationships.  At Florida Clinical Research Center, we are helping to develop the latest medications to treat this neurologic brain disorder, and we need your help.  Call us at 941-747-7900 to learn more about the latest information on ADHD and how we can help you or someone you know.”

- Andrew J. Cutler, CEO and Medical Director of FLCRC