WANTED: patient representative for the STAMPEDE2 trial

29 Jun 2022

We are looking for a volunteer to join the Trial Management Group of the new STAMPEDE2 trial. The role of the group is to monitor all aspects of the conduct and progress of the trial, to ensure that the protocol is adhered to and take appropriate action to safeguard participants and the quality of the trial itself.

Your role would be as explained below:

What will I do?

I will be a member of the Trial Management Group.
Help to write and/or comment on written information (e.g. participant information sheets and consent forms, information on trial websites).
Bring my patient/community perspective to relevant discussions (e.g. recruitment issues and trial amendments).
Contribute to discussions and/or study documentation that supports any major amendments to the trial.
Take the lead on bringing together a group of underrepresented patients and family members affected by prostate cancer in the community and be responsible for feeding back trial discussions to the Trial Management Group.

Who am I?

I have experience of prostate cancer (either as a patient or as a carer) or have strong links to patient groups affected by prostate cancer.
I have a proactive and flexible approach.
I understand the importance of confidentiality when speaking to people.
I respect different viewpoints.
I want to use my links in the community to raise awareness and issues from underrepresented patient and family groups affected by prostate cancer.

More information about the trial

STAMPEDE2: A randomised controlled platform trial testing treatments in metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer.

The STAMPEDE2 trial is currently in the set-up process, looking to open and start recruiting patients at the end of this year.

STAMPEDE2 is a continuation of the STAMPEDE trial, which has been open since 2005 and has tested many different ways of treating prostate cancer and some practice changing results are now already known. Each new or alternative treatment is compared with the current standard approach, referred to as a "comparison". More than 11,500 people have joined STAMPEDE so far with answers becoming available throughout the trial as information on life expectancy and disease control rates are gathered and compared.

STAMPEDE2 will start with testing three new treatments for patients with prostate cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. The aims of the trial are to:

See if these new treatments improve outcomes for patients
Understand the side effects of combining the new therapies with current standard of care treatments

The practical nuts and bolts

Commitment: As a member of the TMG, we will ask you to join a 1-hour telephone conference call (usually held monthly). There is normally some preparation (e.g. reading some documents) to do for these quarterly telephone-meetings and there may be some work to do between meetings too but we will try our best to keep this to a minimum. Additionally, you will be responsible for leading trial discussions within a focus group of patients and carers, these will be on an ad hoc basis.
Training: Before your first TMG meeting you will meet /have a call with a member of the Trial Team who will explain the background to the trial, the work of the TMG and give you the opportunity to ask any questions. You will also be able to discuss any concerns or questions at any time. We will give you a PPI induction pack to start. Additionally, we will offer you further training and support you might need as you learn more about the trial and your role within the TMG.
Location: You can work from home as long as you have the facilities required to review documentation and join the teleconferences. If you would like to join meetings in person, and this is feasible and practical, then this may be possible too.
Expenses: We will reimburse you reasonable out-of-pocket expenses including travel and refreshments while volunteering and attending training or other events in line with our volunteer expenses policy. Details of this can be found in PPI induction pack.

If you are interested in this position, please email Lorna O’Shea at mrcctu.stampede2@ucl.ac.uk by the 6^{th of} July.