2009 « South Coast Clinical Trials

South Coast Clinical Trials Opens Second Location in San Bernardino

ANAHEIM, Calif. – September 29, 2009 – South Coast Clinical Trials announced the opening of a new location in San Bernardino. Research sponsors will now be able to conduct studies in two separate sites simultaneously, utilizing the same regulatory documents and contracts.

“We are excited about the recent opening of our San Bernardino location,” said Adonis Sfera, MD, principal investigator for South Coast Clinical Trials. “We have operated in Anaheim for the past 10 years, and now we can offer a more diverse patient population for study participation with our second site.”

The two sites offer several benefits to pharmaceutical companies in need of research participants. A study can be set up in both locations in the same amount of time it would take for a single location, eliminating duplicated efforts and streamlining documentation. In addition, many members of the study population in both locations are members of the investigators’ private practices, with extensive medical history and medical records available. Study participants also tend to be research-naïve, leading to more accurate and authentic study results.

South Coast Clinical Trials principal investigators Adonis Sfera and Johnny Edrozo are board-certified psychiatrists with more than 40 years combined research experience. The company specializes in phase 2-4 studies in the indications of psychiatry.

For more information about South Coast Clinical Trials, Inc. or to get more information about their new Bipolar Disorder initiative and their industry leading after care support program, please call 888-269-5759.

South Coast Clinical Trials Puts Traditional Patient Care Values Back into Pharmaceutical Clinical Trial Research

Company Strives to Go Above and Beyond Industry Standards

ANAHEIM, Calif. – October 5, 2009 – South Coast Clinical Trials believes that satisfied patient participants make a successful medical trial. The leading Southern California-based provider of clinical research trials for the pharmaceutical industry has even taken it one step further to ensure traditional patient care values are the cornerstone for every trial that they do in order to provide the most complete results for their valued sponsors.

“Our patients are the key to the success of our company’s ability to provide important clinical trial data for the pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr. Adonis Sfera, MD, founder of South Coast Clinical Trials. “We are in the business of helping patients. Therefore, we are committed to treating our patients as human beings and we strive to improve their lives before, during and after a clinical trial.”

The clinical trial industry suffers from the image that it recruits people for trials, treats them poorly and then fails to retain them. Some trials have even lost participants in the middle of the trial due to poor patient care and have jeopardized the results for their medical sponsors.

“We have strong retention of patients during a trial,” said Dan Sfera, head of business development for South Coast Clinical Trials. “We actually have a cumulative database of more than 100,000 individuals that we can use for trials.”

Patient care issues have also hurt the industry’s ability to reach members of diverse populations to participate in clinical trials. Because of this, many people in ethnic communities are fearful of participating in medical trials and the sponsors are missing out on reaching a representative population of all ethnic groups.

South Coast Clinical Trials has gone beyond the industry average for patient care and outreach efforts for the minority population. Their strong reputation for quality customer service and patient care standards means that their subject base is actually 30 percent Hispanic and 25 percent Asian and Pacific Islander. Traditionally, these have been two of the hardest ethnic groups to reach in medical trials.

“We stress the quality of patient care that we provide and strive to inform minority groups of the importance of participating in medical trials to benefit their culture,” said Dr. Johnny Edrozo, Principal Investigator at South Coast Clinical Trials. “It is important that every culture be represented to have a true picture of the population.”

Along with overcoming some of the past issues and myths about patient care in clinical trials, South Coast Clinical Trials also ensures that there is a team of professionals ready to perform patient care before, during and after a trial. Our mission
is to have a network of psychiatrists, psychologists, community outreach personnel, and social workers on site as well as providing our patients with follow-up after a study is completed. This novel approach provides patients with a level of comfort knowing that their needs will be addressed after the study is finished. The innovative after-care program that we provide increases our retention rate.

“With our pre-screening methods we are able to ensure that appropriate patients are participating in our clinical trials,” said Dr. Adonis Sfera, MD. “This translates into quality data for the sponsors we work with.”

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South Coast Clinical Trials Expands its Patient Care Expertise to Help the 3.3 Million Americans Suffering from Schizophrenia

Outreach Programs Expand From Orange County to San Bernardino

ANAHEIM, Calif. – November 3, 2009 – More than 3.3 million people in the United States, or about 1.1 percent of the population, suffer daily from the debilitating effects of Schizophrenia. But South Coast Clinical Trials in Anaheim and San Bernardino is working diligently with pharmaceutical companies to improve the lives of those affected.

“We are partnering with many pharmaceutical companies as part of the research and development process for finding new treatments for people with Schizophrenia. With our experienced staff we are able to provide proper care for the patients enrolled in the research studies we conduct at our Anaheim and San Bernardino offices,” said Dr. Adonis Sfera, MD, founder of South Coast Clinical Trials. “We really want to help find a way to beat this illness and let victims live their lives again.”

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that usually strikes its victims – an equal population of both men and women – in young age. Typically the disease is characterized by positive symptoms not seen in healthy people such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and even movement disorders. Some of the common negative symptoms disrupting emotions and behavior include lack of pleasure in everyday life, speaking in a flat or monotone voice, speaking very little while in a conversation and even lack of caring about one’s self being.

“This disease decreases the ability to function in today’s society,” said Dr. Johnny Edrozo, a board certified psychiatrist who also functions as a principal investigator for South Coast Clinical Trials. “Finding the perfect way to help each individual is very difficult and takes a combination of social and pharmaceutical treatments. Therefore it’s very important to have a wide variety of treatments available to combat the positive and negative symptoms of Schizophrenia.”

While pharmaceuticals can help individuals cope with the positive symptoms of the disease, South Coast Clinical Trials is lending its expertise in first-rate patient care to assist in the management of the negative symptoms. By connecting patients with case managers, social workers, support groups, day treatment centers, and group homes the measures are already in place for the transition from a clinical trial to the rigors of everyday life.

“We have found that our after care program helps in reducing the stigma of clinical trials as the patient has the support necessary before, during, and after a trial. By establishing relationships with case managers, social workers, day treat programs, group homes, and support groups the benefit is two fold as the patient receives the support they need and we receive many referrals for our trials,” said Don Walters with South Coast Clinical Trials.

For more than ten years, Walters has been working directly in the community to help people suffering from Schizophrenia. He started his efforts in Orange County and recently expanded his outreach efforts to San Bernardino where South Coast Clinical Trials opened their second site.

For more information about South Coast Clinical Trials, Inc. or to get more information about their ongoing Schizophrenia trials and the after care program, please call 888-269-5759.

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South Coast Clinical Trials Launches Initiative to Find New Treatment Solutions for Bipolar Disorder Patients

Experts Say up to 18 Million Americans May Suffer Some Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

ANAHEIM, Calif. – December 3, 2009 – South Coast Clinical Trials is launching a major initiative to help victims of Bipolar Disorder overcome their dramatic mood swings.

From mania to depression and from recklessness to listlessness, life is a roller coaster for the more than 3 million victims of Bipolar Disorder in the United States. In fact, the symptoms are so common that it is estimated that up to 18 million Americans may have to deal with a mild form of the disease that still affects their daily lives.

“We are very dedicated towards helping people fighting against the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder,” said Dr. Adonis Sfera, MD, founder of South Coast Clinical Trials. “This disease drastically disrupts peoples ability to function at school, work, and at home. It basically takes away their ability to enjoy everyday life.”

In addition, without proper treatment sufferers of Bipolar Disorder often end up committing suicide.

“The suicide rate in Bipolar Disorder is higher than any other mental disorder,” said Dr. Johnny Edrozo, a board certified psychiatrist who also functions as a principal investigator for South Coast Clinical Trials. “We are partnering with major pharmaceutical companies to find treatments that directly save people’s lives.”

While there are a number of treatments available to help Bipolar Disorder patients – including mood stabilizers, anti-seizure medications, antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs – many patients are reluctant to take medication. That is why South Coast Clinical Trials has also developed a strong reputation in the industry for integrating a support network that includes case managers, social workers, support groups, day treatment centers, and group homes that are able to assist with the transition of patients from a clinical trial to today’s society.

“We really strive to take patient care to the next level, ensuring that Bipolar Disorder patients have the proper treatment regimen to help them strive against the disease,” said Don Walters with South Coast Clinical Trials. “We have fostered strong partnerships in the Orange County and San Bernardino communities so we can refer people to the support services they need. We are also a referral resource for these agencies as our clinical studies provide sufferers with additional treatment options.

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