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International Clinical Sciences Support Center |
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The International Clinical Sciences Support Center (ICSSC) at FHI provides guidance and assistance to clinical researchers whose work focuses on the treatment, prevention, and control of tropical diseases. Support services of the NIH-funded ICSSC at FHI include but are not limited to the following areas:
(A full description of ICSSC service offerings can be found at the ICSSC website http://www.icssc.org/.) The ICSSC works with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) to 1) provide ongoing training in clinical research for investigators; 2) serve as an information resource; and 3) facilitate communication with a diverse and widespread community of investigators. Although tropical diseases are especially problematic in developing nations, many diseases formerly deemed tropical (or at least geographically restricted to the Southern Hemisphere) are emerging as health problems elsewhere in the world. The mandate of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) transcends domestic interests and includes support for research into any disease that presents (or could present) a significant global health burden. With respect to tropical diseases, this means conducting or supporting studies in parts of the world where these diseases are endemic while still complying with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines and other domestic scientific, ethical, and fiscal standards. The clinical research needed includes epidemiologic studies, vaccine studies (phase I–III), and therapeutic trials (phase I–III). Protozoan and helminthic (worms) infections kill or disable millions of people each year. According to the World Health Organization, 10 percent of the world's population (at least half a billion people) have one or more of the five major tropical parasitic diseases: malaria, filariasis, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, and leishmaniasis. Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections are also major concerns in tropical regions, causing many important public health problems such as tuberculosis, diarrhea, hepatitis, acute respiratory infection, and hemorrhagic fever. Children are at greater risk from these infections because their immune systems may be immature, or they may suffer concurrent malnutrition. ICSSC is funded by a grant from NIH-NIAID-DMID.
For more information, contact Laura Phillips, ICSSC Administrative Manager, Family Health International, Attn: ICSSC, P.O. Box 13950, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA. Tel: (919) 544-7040 Fax: (919) 544-7261 |
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