Clinical Research - SEC Lung Medical Clinic

SEC Lung started performing clinical research studies in early 2013 with a focus on investigational treatments for COPD. The clinical research studies are all sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and provide opportunities for patients of SEC Lung – as well as individuals in the region who might be seeing other lung specialists – to volunteer for research studies.

As the research activities have rapidly expanded, in January 2016 “SEC Clinical Research” was created to serve as the research division of SEC Lung. At our home base in Andalusia, both patients and research volunteers will not see any changes in the services, facilities or staff. In our Dothan location opened in January 2016, only clinical research activities will be performed. We will not be providing routine medical care in Dothan, only clinical research. For more information about the SEC Clinical Research site in Dothan, please go to ClinicalResearch Facilities. We are working to recruit Dothan area physicians as additional Principal Investigators, and to expand the disease focus beyond COPD and other respiratory diseases.

Why would anybody volunteer for a research study?

Among our research volunteers, one of the most common reasons for participation is a genuine interest in helping advance the treatment of COPD by testing experimental medicines. Other reasons include an interest in trying the specific experimental medicine depending on individual situations, and many of our volunteers enjoy the experience and interaction with our outstanding clinical research staff. Typically Sponsors provide modest payments for attending the visits, and usually some free respiratory medications are provided.

Is there a research study of interest to you?

If you are not already a patient at SEC Lung and have COPD, please call our Recruitment Specialist, Jae, at 334-504-7014 for information about our current studies.

What happens if there is research study that is of interest to you?

If you are not already a patient at SEC Lung, we will arrange an appointment for you to come in for a “Pre-Screen Visit” that includes a free Lung Function Test and ask some basic questions about your health and medicines. All this information remains confidential. Based on this evaluation, we can determine if you might be eligible for one of our actively enrolling research studies.

How do you enroll in a specific research study?

If we determine that you are eligible for entry into a research study, the first step is the Informed Consent Process in which you are given all the time necessary to carefully review a document (Informed Consent Form) that provides details about the research objective, the procedures, possible benefits and risks, among others. One of our Clinical Research Coordinators, or Dr. Garver, will then answer all of your questions. After this review, you can decide if you want to volunteer for the research study.

In all of the research studies, the entry into the study requires at least 1 and usually 2 or 3 visits with breathing tests, blood tests, EKGs, and other evaluations to determine if you meet all of the research study criteria for receiving the experimental medicine.

All of the testing is performed without any cost to you or your insurance company, and you will usually receive a modest payment for each visit, along with travel expenses depending on the distance traveled.

Only after you have been found to meet all of the Sponsor criteria will you receive any experimental medication.

For more information about participating in clinical research studies, please go to Research Volunteer.