California: Clinical Trials Computer Service Now Available Statewide

Trials Search, which matches a patient's confidential medical information to over 100 HIV-related clinical trials in its database and finds the ones for which the patient is qualified, has been available without charge in the San Francisco area since 1991 but is now being expanded throughout the state. Patients complete a two-page questionnaire giving their medical status and contact information, and receive a list of open trials which they are likely to be eligible to join.

Trials Search, originally developed in 1991 at Ralph K. Davies Medical Center in San Francisco, is now operated by the Community Consortium, an association of more than 200 physicians and other health-care professionals who provide care for a majority of patients with HIV disease in the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The expansion of the service to Southern California was financed by the Kaiser Family Foundation; however, the Community Consortium is still seeking financial support for other Trials Search expenses.

Persons interested in receiving the questionnaire can call either 800/492-5777, or 415/476-5777.

Also, the Community Consortium will make the Trials Search software and database available to medical centers, AIDS service organizations, and patient advocacy groups so that searches can be done on site. In addition, the service will be available to anyone through the Internet. (Currently it is less useful outside of California, however, because the database consists of trials which have sites within California. But other medical centers could use the Trials Search software, and enter their own database of the trials available in their area.)

The Community Consortium also publishes the GUIDE TO HIV CLINICAL TRIALS IN CALIFORNIA (both a Northern California and Southern California edition), which provide in printed form the same data in the Trials Search database. Both editions are available now, and will be updated three times a year. For a free copy of either guide, call either 800/492-5777, or 415/476-5777.