WV researchers taking clinical trials directly to patients across the Mountain State

Clinical trials are essential for the advancement of medical knowledge and improvement in patient outcomes. Unfortunately, innovative research trials have historically been less available to West Virginians despite the state ranking at or near the bottom of most health rankings. One dedicated group of researchers at the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) and the West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network is working with patients and clinics across the state to change that.

In fall 2024, WVCTSI’s West Virginia Rural Roots to Research (WVR3) program was named one of three inaugural hubs for the National Institute of Health’s CARE for Health™  initiative. CARE for Health™ was created as a network to conduct clinical studies in primary care settings, beyond the traditional walls of academic medical centers.

The first clinical trial the WVR3 team is bringing to communities across the state is focused on the treatment of gout, a common and painful inflammatory joint condition affecting many West Virginians.

“We know that gout can be an incredibly painful experience for patients and drastically decrease their quality of life,” said Dr. Sally Hodder, WVCTSI director, associate vice president for clinical and translational science at West Virginia University, and WVR3 principal investigator.

Despite the fact that gout has been described for thousands of years, the best way to treat gout is still unknown.  The TRUST trial seeks to answer that question. Pain due to gout is nothing new to Steve Burford, a retired coal miner and electronic technician with Kanawha County Schools, who has been dealing with gout for over nine years.

“It would get unbelievably sore, red, and you couldn’t even touch it. If it’s just barely touched, it’s excruciating pain,” said Burford, the TRUST trial’s first participant in West Virginia.

Burford was referred to the trial by his primary care provider at Cabin Creek Health Center in Dawes. Because the WVR3 team can take the trial directly to Burford using WVCTSI’s 40-foot mobile clinical trials unit – MAVERICK - Burford was able to participate in the trial in his community, something he feels is a unique strength of the program. 

“I greatly appreciate the medical profession caring enough about small-town West Virginia that they would spend the time and resources to come to try and help us have a better quality of life,” said Burford.

It’s not uncommon for clinical trial participants to travel hundreds of miles to participate in clinical trials. The experience of being able to stop by a community clinic close to home to participate in a clinical trial is a novel experience for many rural residents, not just in West Virginia but across the country.

Burford is the first of ten West Virginia patients who have participated in the trial since the enrollment began several months ago. The trial compares two different gout treatment strategies, seeking to determine which is best.

“Thanks to participants from around the state we can learn which of these two common treatment strategies work best for our folks here in West Virginia,” said Hodder. “That’s why it’s so important West Virginians have the opportunity to participate in this kind of research- it ensures that the findings are directly relevant to their communities.”

For Burford, participating in the trial was a way for him to give back to his community in a meaningful way.

“My prayer has always been, with my family, with my community, and with my world, that when I leave this earth, I’ve made it a better place. If me going through these studies will help a child or some person later on, in some small way I’ve maybe helped make it a better place,” said Burford.

When reflecting upon his time in the trial, Burford hopes that other West Virginians will be open to participating in clinical research if they are able.

“I would strongly recommend that they participate, if at all possible, because the only way we’ll find new cures is to get questions answered and to research it,” said Burford. “If you can get 100 people who have the same type of issue, then you can take 100 different views of that issue and possibly get a picture put together of how to best treat it, or even better, prevent it.”

If you are interested in learning more about clinical trials in West Virginia, visit the WVCTSI clinical trials page.

WVCTSI Background

WVCTSI is funded by an IDeA Clinical and Translational Research award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U54GM104942) to support the mission of building clinical and translational research infrastructure and capacity to improve health outcomes in West Virginia.

WVR3 is funded by a National Institutes of Health CARE for Health™ award (OT2 OD038378).