Volunteers Needed for NHS-Supported Heartburn Study
Heartburn Health is a national research programme. It aims to improve care for people with heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux.
The programme is looking for volunteers in the North East aged 55 to 79 who have these symptoms.
If that’s you, why not sign up at www.heartburnhealth.org?
Supported by the NHS and Cancer Research UK, Heartburn Health is building a community of at least 120,000 people with heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux.
Taking part will help experts research how to manage symptoms. It will also help them detect other health problems, such as cancer, at an earlier stage when treatment is easier.
Heartburn Health in Newcastle this Spring
Heartburn Health will be running in Newcastle from 23rd April to 19th May.
The research team is inviting:
- men aged 55 to 79
- women aged 65 to 79
You can take part if you live in the region and have heartburn, acid reflux or indigestion.
It only takes a few minutes to self-enrol on the Heartburn Health website by clicking the link.
You can also call 0808 281 4772 if you have questions or need help signing up.
If you receive a text from “NHSresearch”, you can click the link in the message to sign up.
About Heartburn
Heartburn affects up to 25% of adults in the UK, according to Guts UK.
Around 1 in 10 people with ongoing heartburn will develop Barrett’s Oesophagus. Of these, between 3 and 13 in 100 may go on to develop oesophageal cancer in their lifetime. This is when cells in the food pipe grow abnormally.
Cancer Research UK reports around 9,300 new cases of oesophageal cancer in the UK each year.
It is the seventh most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Around 22 people die from it every day.
However, up to 59% of cases may be preventable.
What are the benefits of enrolling?
By joining Heartburn Health, you may be able to take part in ground-breaking research. This research aims to improve care for reflux and related conditions.
Some participants may be invited to join the BEST4 Screening Trial.
This study is funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is testing a device called the capsule sponge test, also known as the “pill-on-a-thread”.
The test may help identify people with heartburn who have Barrett’s Oesophagus. This condition can lead to oesophageal cancer.
The test is simple and effective. It has been shown to improve detection of Barrett’s Oesophagus in primary care.
How to Sign Up?
- Self-enrol at heartburnhealth.org
- Call 0808 281 4772 if you have questions or need help signing up.
- If you receive a text from ‘NHSresearch’, click the link to sign up
Who is involved?
Heartburn Health has been developed by clinicians and researchers at:
- The University of Cambridge
- Queen Mary University of London
The NHS and Cancer Research UK are also supporting this programme.