The goal of the Oklahoma Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (OPCTN) is to provide access for the underserved rural urban minority, and American Indian populations of children in Oklahoma to state-of-the-art clinical trials and the transfer of findings that will benefit the health of those children. The OPCTN will be a member of the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN). The ISPCTN will facilitate the involvement of sites in IDeA states to participate in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) study will focus on four primary ears of child health: 1) upper and lower airway disease, 2) obesity; 3) pre-, peri-, and postnatal outcomes; and 4) neurodevelopment. These are each areas of substantial health concern for Oklahoma. The OPCTN will accomplish its goals by assembling a diverse mixture of resources within Oklahoma. It will be centered in the Department of Pediatrics and the Oklahoma Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. It combines the resources of Oklahoma's IDeA-CTR, the Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources, with academic physicians at the state's allopathic medical school, providers in Oklahoma urban and rural communities, and practice-based research networks in order to broaden the opportunities for children in Oklahoma to participate in clinical research studies. The OPCTN will engage with community consultant groups that represent the American Indian, Latino/Hispanic, and African American communities as well as county-based health improvement organizations within the state to allow their input on research project design, implementation, and community participatory interest. The OPCTN will also train a cadre of pediatric clinicians that will be experienced in the design and conduct of clinical trials in order to increase the capacity of the medical community in the state to conduct clinical and translational research efforts.
We propose the Oklahoma Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (OPCTN) as a site in the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN). This project will accomplish three goals: 1) The establishment of the OPCTN to collaborate with the other network sites and the Data Coordinating and Operating Center of the ISPCTN. 2) Provide access to clinical trials to traditionally underserved rural, urban minority, and American Indian populations in Oklahoma by further developing relationships with healthcare providers, developing a cadre of well-trained pediatric clinicians experienced in the design and conduct of clinical trials, and by engaging with the ISPCTN to increase participation of Oklahoma children in research studies and clinical trials. 3) Disseminate research findings to a broad collection of stakeholders in the state, including those that serve rural, urban minority, and American Indian populations.
