Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation / Implantation

AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE TRANSPLANTATION / IMPLANTATION

VERSUS EXISTING TREATMENTS

http://www.active-trial.org.uk Funded by the MRC ISCRCTN 48911177

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2005 Issue 7

Progress Summary

45 patients have been randomised and a similar number are in the pipeline waiting to be randomised.

Watch this space......

The team at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham is now set up and keen to start.

Promoting ACTIVE

Can you help raise awareness about ACTIVE by doing a presentation in your local area? Whether it’s for other hospital staff, GPs, or patients, please let me know and I’ll send you a Powerpoint presentation / leaflets.

More Centres

Several more centres are in the process of being set up. Meeting our recruitment target of 660 patients over the next 2 years depends on the full cooperation of a large number of people.

ACI Training at Oswestry

The next ACI training day for surgeons is Friday 11th Nov. Both stages of ACI will

be demonstrated and there will be a Chondro-Gide workshop. Further dates are available – please ask for details.

Co-ordinators’ Study Day

Thanks to those of you who attended our first CPD approved study day on 5th October. It was a stimulating event and we hope to run another one soon. There were interesting talks on ACI from Dr Brian Ashton (Oscell) and Dr Sven Kili (Geistlich) followed by a workshop with a patient eligibility challenge from Prof.

Blood testing for ACI

Please check with your cell provider which blood tests are required – for labs outside the UK you may not need to do all the tests on the Patient Entry Form.

Online Database now Live

All assessors and co-ordinators should now be using the online database – support is available from me or the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit. Thanks to those of you who have helped get the data input in time for an Annual Report to the DMEC.

Sports Knee Surgery 2005

During this conference at the Warwick Medical School there will be an informal ACTIVE meeting at 5.30-6.30 pm on Monday 31st Oct. There’ll also be an ACTIVE stand on both days so I hope you’ll come along for a chat if you’re attending the conference.

Heather Smith, Tel: 01691 404142