Hospital da Luz Lisboa is conducting 109 clinical trials, 34 of which in the phase of recruiting patients , who will have the opportunity to access innovating therapies in areas such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or diabetes, among others. According to data on CTIS platform , Hospital da Luz Lisboa is the private hospital centre in Portugal presently with the highest number of clinical trials in the process of recruiting. Hospital da Luz Lisboa thus reinforces its positioning as institution of reference in clinical research and innovation in health. This activity not only translates the reinforcement of the institution’s scientific capacity, but also and foremost the creation of concrete opportunities for patients to access innovating treatments and differentiated clinical follow-up. The majority (70%) of active clinical trials with recruitment in progress at Hospital da Luz is in the area of oncology, with studies on breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, prostatic cancer, gynaecological cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, melanoma, and solid tumours. In parallel, active clinical trials with open recruitment are underway for the following pathologies: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, diabetes, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, COPD, pneumonia, and finally, pediatric migraine. More information on clinical trials conducted at Hospital da Luz Network. Clinical trials are fundamental for the progress of medicine, generating robust scientific evidence, and for the development of new drugs and therapies meeting the needs of patients and health systems. Within Luz Saúde group / Hospital da Luz Network, this activity is supported by Hospital da Luz Learning Health – company providing a team of coordinators dedicated to clinical research, ensuring articulation between the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries and the clinical teams. This model enables health professionals involved in the clinical trials to focus on healthcare practice and on research in these new therapies. On the other hand, it ensures that the units within Hospital da Luz Network are prepared to host clinical trials meeting high standards of quality and rigor. The participation in clinical trials enables to evaluate, in a scientific controlled way, the safety and efficacy of new treatments, contributing to the evolution of medicine based on evidence and to the continuing improvement of quality in healthcare. For patients, it represents moreover the possibility of early access to innovative therapies, often in areas where the therapeutic options are limited. In the photo above, the clinical team responsible for a Phase III clinical trial on gastric cancer or cancer of the gastroesophageal junction, at Hospital da Luz Lisboa, led by principal investigator Tânia Rodrigues , an oncologist. In the photo below, the Hospital da Luz Learning Health team dedicated to supporting clinical research: in the back, Maria Mercês Sá Pires (clinical trials coordinator), Catarina Aleixo (administrative assistant), Rita Cunha de Eça (deputy director of research), Ana Rita Duarte (clinical trials coordinator), Carolina Rodrigues (clinical trials coordinator) and Mafalda Dias (clinical trials coordinator); in the front, Beatriz Silva (clinical trials coordinator) and Filipa Nunes (deputy director of the clinical trials team). The team is rounded out by Carolina Mestre, clinical trials coordinator (not pictured).
