Information for patients and the public
about COVID-19 research
We are here to help you find out about health and social care research that is taking place across the UK.
Taking part in research is particularly important at this time. Travel to research appointments is considered essential travel. Please continue to access healthcare research or other healthcare services, even at this time of extra COVID-19 restrictions, unless you hear otherwise.
There are a number of studies taking place into COVID-19, including vaccines as well as many other health conditions. Whatever research is right for you, your healthcare team have put in place changes to keep people safe. Check this site or speak to your health professional for updates on opportunities to take part in research, as things are changing quickly.
about COVID-19 research
Information for Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities
New monologues sharing conversations about vaccine research
Information on what research teams are doing to keep you safe and what is being done to help protect you from COVID-19 and other potential risks during your research appointment.
Participating in research is not just about taking pills. Some research studies simply require you to complete a survey, attend a group with other patients, talk about something, try a new cream or treatment. There really is something for everyone. Explore our site to find more.
Find out about the opportunities available such as learning about research through a course, donating a sample to the NIHR BioResource bank to help research for chronic health conditions, giving feedback on research study design or registering your interest in helping Dementia Research.
The lockdowns and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted eating disorder services. People with anorexia nervosa experienced a loss of routine, heightened anxieties, and increased symptoms. Carers felt more concern and greater responsibility for their loved ones. Despite these difficulties, some patients and carers benefitted from digital self-management resources. The TRIANGLE project aims to help ...
Women's health is a broad branch of medicine covering the diagnosis, treatment and management of health concerns that are often unique to women. Many of the health issues relate to reproductive health and childbirth, including fertility, contraception, pregnancy and menstruation. This Collection brings together NIHR research on several areas of women’s health. We asked a ...
People in England who pay for their own social care receive little assistance in making choices, even though arranging care requires a range of skills that they may not have. Adult social care – for example personal assistance in the home or being cared for in a residential home – comes under the remit of ...
People living with dementia in the community typically rely on unpaid care from friends and family members, combined with some paid care. This helps them remain in their own homes. Researchers wanted to find out how the first nationwide COVID-19 lockdown affected unpaid carers, and how they made decisions about accessing paid care. Paid carers ...
People with one type of irregular heartbeat (called atrial fibrillation) do not benefit from a drug called spironolactone. A new trial called IMPRESS-AF found that the drug does not offer benefits and could even be harmful. Spironolactone offered no improvements in exercise capacity, heart function, or quality of life. In fact, the treatment significantly worsened ...
Urethral narrowing reduces the flow of urine from the bladder out of the body. The tube (called the urethra) may become narrowed because of injury or infection. Painful and potentially dangerous narrowing is more common in men and if it happens repeatedly, it is treated with surgery. Initial treatment is usually a minimally invasive procedure ...
Detecting problems with motor coordination could be a simple way to predict the long-term severity of psychosis. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) is a quick and useful tool for examining sensory-motor issues such as restlessness, tremors, and problems with coordination and balance. A new study used the scale to assess patients after their first psychotic episode. ...