Did you know that around 4.3 million men are living with erectile dysfunction in the UK. It’s a condition that can have a severe effect on a man’s relationship and sex life as well as his self-esteem and confidence.
Although there are some treatments available, there is an unmet need for more effective medicines to help treat erectile dysfunction. One of the ways to improve these treatments is through clinical trials.
MAC Clinical Research is currently recruiting for two clinical trials for erectile dysfunction. MAC’s Chief Scientific Officer, Doctor John Connell explained the process of the trials in a recent interview with the Liverpool Echo. He said: “”Currently, the men come into our unit – it’s a bit strange because you’ve got to come into a unit and go into a room to watch pornography, but it’s what people do in fertility clinics the world over.
“We make sure that when people come to the unit that we’ve got a pleasant environment where they can go and sit in a waiting area away from other people – it’s not like a seedy space with magazines or anything. They then get taken through by health professionals to see the doctors in a normal clinical environment.
“Then we have a very nice area where they can go and view the pornography, but it has to be private and away from everyone else.”
During the trial, the participants will wear something called a Rigi-Scan device. Dr Connell described it as “two elastic bands that go around the base and the head of the penis – they are not in any way painful – and every 15 seconds they will measure the rigidity of the penis and we are able to look at the data and see how people are reacting to the pornography.”
With the participation of men across the UK at a variety of MAC’s clinics, you could make a difference to scientific research which may lead to a new medicine to help people living with ED. Dr Connell said: “We live in an incredibly stressful society and it’s increasingly common for younger people to have this problem. They need to know what to do if they have this problem – some people can’t even speak to their partner about it, and it will make their life miserable.
“People should never accept it, whether you’re 20, whether you’re 30, whether you’re 80. If you want to have a sexual life, you can have one, you’ve just got to find the right solution and that’s what we’re trying to achieve.”
If you are aged 18-59 and you are experiencing erectile dysfunction but are otherwise healthy, you may be eligible to take part in MAC’s clinical trial, investigating a new treatment for erectile dysfunction. The trial is running at MAC’s clinics in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, South Staffordshire, South Yorkshire, Teesside and West Yorkshire.
Eligible participants will receive up to £680 for their time and commitment to this research. If you’d like to find out more or register your interest to be involved in the trial, you can sign up via our website here.
