Join the REACH Clinical Trial to Help Slow Alzheimer’s for Our Familias!

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Alzheimer’s disease hurts the quality of life of many of our beloved abuelos and abuelas, their family members, and caregivers.

Fortunately, clinical trials can help us fight back against Alzheimer’s.

You or your loved ones can volunteer for the REACH Clinical Trial that aims to slow the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, led by the experts at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio.

REACH Clinical Trial volunteers will be reimbursed up to $100 for each trial visit.

“Our mission is to provide a compassionate and comprehensive network of clinical care for patients and their families with access to the most advanced treatment in clinical trials, as we continue to lead the search for a cure for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases,” according to Dr. Sudha Seshadri, founding director of the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio, and other REACH Clinical Trial leaders. “We are physicians, researchers and supportive staff working together to provide you comprehensive care with the vision of restoring function and hope to millions.”

Join the REACH Clinical Trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish)!

What is a Clinical Trial?

Clinical trials can help researchers create effective treatments, or better understand illnesses.

For Alzheimer’s, researchers are learning more and more through clinical trials to help slow, manage, and treat this disease, and improve brain function.

Historically, Latinos have been underrepresented in Alzheimer’s studies due to linguistic barriers, lack of culturally sensitive providers, and socioeconomic disparities.

Without Latino volunteers for trials, the benefits may miss this group.

“Latinos represent 18.5% of the U.S. population but less than 10% in federal clinical trials,” said Dr. Patricia Chalela, a health promotion researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. “Underrepresentation of minorities in clinical trials results in disparities of cancer outcomes and limits generalizability of the findings because researchers cannot study how minority patients respond to new treatments.”

What is the REACH Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

The REACH Clinical Trial will evaluate the use of Rapamycin to slow progression of amnestic mild cognitive impairment and early-stage Alzheimer’s. It will also collect vital information on Alzheimer’s markers and relevant outcomes for future clinical trials.

Rapamycin is important to study because it is an FDA-approved immune modulator.

REACH clinical trial at Biggs ut health san antonio alzheimers among Latinos hispanicsThat is, research shows it can restore cerebrovascular function and alter the cellular and biological processes underlying the development of Alzheimer’s.

“Participation in studies to investigate potentially effective therapies for pre-clinical and more advanced dementia patients may provide options for an altered disease course and strategies to alleviate caregiver burden,” according to Dr. Seshadri and the REACH Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

Join the REACH trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish). REACH Clinical Trial volunteers will be reimbursed up to $100 for each trial visit.

If You Are Latino, Why Should You Consider Volunteering for the REACH Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

Fact is, Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than their white peers.

Latinos are at risk because of medical conditions – high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease – that contribute to developing Alzheimer’s and are prevalent among older Latinos.

The burden will get worse, too. The number of Latinos living with Alzheimer’s is projected to grow from 430,000 in 2014 to 3.2 million in 2060. That is an alarming seven-fold increase.

Luckily, you can make a difference: volunteer for the REACH Clinical Trial.

“Participation in clinical trials and representation in larger cohort studies will assist researchers in developing specific diagnostic and treatment strategies specifically tailored to this population,” according to Dr. Seshadri and the REACH Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

“Moreover, sometimes answers we find in one group can help provide cures for everybody. The PCSK9 inhibitor drugs widely used to lower cholesterol were first identified based on studies of heart disease in African-Americans.”

Join the REACH trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish). REACH Clinical Trial volunteers will be reimbursed up to $100 for each trial visit.

Who Can Volunteer for the REACH Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

The REACH Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute are looking for participants who are:

  • Adults ages 55-89
  • Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s
  • A legally authorized representative to sign informed consent and to attend all trial visits REACH trial graphic 3

Certain factors could disqualify those interested participating:

  • Diagnosis of diabetes
  • Current tobacco use
  • Use of anti-platelet or anti-coagulant medications other than aspirin
  • Chronic heart failure
  • Organ transplant recipient

Join the REACH trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish). REACH Clinical Trial volunteers will be reimbursed up to $100 for each trial visit.

What Will Volunteers Do as Part of the REACH Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio?

The REACH trial will last 90 weeks.

In this span, there will be about 17 doctor’s visits.

This starts with two screening appointments for eligibility. After screening, volunteers will be randomly assigned to receive 1 mg of Rapamycin or placebo daily for 12 months.

The first 6 months of the trial will include monthly visits at home or at our study site. For the last 6 months of the trial, visits will be held every 3 months.

Visits will be used to observe changes in volunteers from baseline in cognition, physical functioning and functional status.

Visits may include:

  • Complete questionnaires and undergo tests of your memory and daily functioning
  • Take oral study medication once daily for 12 months
  • Undergo blood draws
  • Undergo brain scans (MRI, PET)
  • Undergo lumbar punctures for testing cerebrospinal fluid (similar to a blood draw)

“For REACH, volunteers will be reimbursed between $35 to $100 depending on the procedures completed at each visit,” according to Dr. Seshadri and the REACH Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

Join the REACH trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish). REACH Clinical Trial volunteers will be reimbursed up to $100 for each trial visit.

Call Now to Volunteer for the REACH Clinical Trial at the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio!

If you volunteer for the REACH Clinical Trial, you could help your current and future family.

“A more accurate diagnosis in the affected family member can lead to earlier and more precise diagnosis and better prevention in their siblings and children,” according to Dr. Sudha Seshadri and other REACH Clinical Trial leaders at the Biggs Institute.

English speakers can volunteer by calling Amy Saklad, Director of Research Operations for the Biggs Instiute, at 210-567-8229.

Spanish speakers can volunteer by calling Dr. Monica Goss, Program Manager for the Biggs Instiute, at 210-450-8073.

Saklad and Goss will distribute callers to the recruitment team for follow up and provision of general study information.

“We typically ask general screener questions (age, sex, diagnosis, other medical problems) to see which research opportunity best fits their needs,” said Dr. Seshadri of the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio. “We may need to review their medical records or ask some questions about how well they are functioning, whether there is any friend or family member who can accompany them (needed for some studies).”

Join the REACH trial by calling 210-567-8229 (English) or 210-450-8073 (Spanish). REACH Clinical Trial volunteers will be reimbursed up to $100 for each trial visit.

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