Uploaded September 2013 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Randomised controlled clinical trials are essential for finding out what treatments work. This film explores how clinical trials are done, and their importance.
It uses the FEAST trial as an example. FEAST was a large randomised controlled trial examining the effectiveness of fluid resuscitation for treating children with severe infections in Africa.
Children suffering from #malaria and #sepsis may already be in shock when receiving treatment as their bodies concentrate all the blood in the body to the vital organs. For doctors to save these children, they must keep them alive long enough for the medicine to take effect. In wealthy countries, children would receive a large emergency dose of fluids in an effort to restore circulation. But in such countries doctors also have ventilators and other equipment to help keep children alive. Many hospitals in Africa lack such life saving equipment so the doctors need to know if it's safe to give a large emergency dose, or if they should merely provide a replacement for the fluids a child would normally drink.
The trial showed that an emergency treatment called Fluid Resuscitation, which is used worldwide, does not save lives when used for African children suffering from shock and severe infections. The trial found that giving children fluids slowly, rather than rapid fluid resuscitation, is safer and more effective in aiding recovery.
These findings challenged current WHO guidelines on how best to provide fluids to children in Africa with fever and shock caused by malaria, sepsis and other infections.
Learn more ▶️ukri.org/about-us/mrc
Let’s connect!
Twitter 🔗 twitter.com/The_MRC
LinkedIn 🔗 linkedin.com/company/medical-research-council
YouTube 🔗 youtube.com/c/medicalresearchcouncil
Instagram 🔗 instagram.com/weareukri
We think you’ll like…
The FEAST Clinical Trial | Examining the Use of Fluid Resuscitation in Treating Infections
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=hK9VUkL-DqU
FEAST Clinical Trial | How Clinical Trials are Done and their Importance To Medical Science
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=GdMMuURsZQg
ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC)
The Medical Research Council (MRC) improves the health of people in the UK – and around the world – by supporting excellent science, and training the very best scientists.
Find out more ▶️ ukri.org/councils/MRC
#MRC #Medicine #MedicalSciences #MedicalResearch #Innovation #Health
Randomised controlled clinical trials are essential for finding out what treatments work. This film explores how clinical trials are done, and their importance.
It uses the FEAST trial as an example. FEAST was a large randomised controlled trial examining the effectiveness of fluid resuscitation for treating children with severe infections in Africa.
Children suffering from #malaria and #sepsis may already be in shock when receiving treatment as their bodies concentrate all the blood in the body to the vital organs. For doctors to save these children, they must keep them alive long enough for the medicine to take effect. In wealthy countries, children would receive a large emergency dose of fluids in an effort to restore circulation. But in such countries doctors also have ventilators and other equipment to help keep children alive. Many hospitals in Africa lack such life saving equipment so the doctors need to know if it's safe to give a large emergency dose, or if they should merely provide a replacement for the fluids a child would normally drink.
The trial showed that an emergency treatment called Fluid Resuscitation, which is used worldwide, does not save lives when used for African children suffering from shock and severe infections. The trial found that giving children fluids slowly, rather than rapid fluid resuscitation, is safer and more effective in aiding recovery.
These findings challenged current WHO guidelines on how best to provide fluids to children in Africa with fever and shock caused by malaria, sepsis and other infections.
Learn more ▶️ukri.org/about-us/mrc
Let’s connect!
Twitter 🔗 twitter.com/The_MRC
LinkedIn 🔗 linkedin.com/company/medical-research-council
YouTube 🔗 youtube.com/c/medicalresearchcouncil
Instagram 🔗 instagram.com/weareukri
We think you’ll like…
The FEAST Clinical Trial | Examining the Use of Fluid Resuscitation in Treating Infections
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=hK9VUkL-DqU
FEAST Clinical Trial | How Clinical Trials are Done and their Importance To Medical Science
▶️ youtube.com/watch?v=GdMMuURsZQg
ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC)
The Medical Research Council (MRC) improves the health of people in the UK – and around the world – by supporting excellent science, and training the very best scientists.
Find out more ▶️ ukri.org/councils/MRC
#MRC #Medicine #MedicalSciences #MedicalResearch #Innovation #Health
