The CORE Center provides leadership in conducting new scientific research studies. Clinical research, including drug (medication) trials, behavioral science research and observational/natural history studies are available to all patients who meet study requirements, including pregnant women, infants, children and adolescents. Studies may involve new medications, vaccines, interviews or other therapies.

Patients who decide to participate in research continue to receive their care from their own medical provider. The doctors and nurses conducting the medication studies keep in close contact with the patients’medical providers to make sure that patients are receiving the best care possible. For patients participating in observational/survey research, the patients have the option to have the research information shared with their medical providers. All studies are voluntary and available at no cost to patients.

The CORE Center has been successful in conducting research studies, thanks to the many volunteers who have participated in the studies.

At the CORE Center, the studies are first reviewed and approved by the Research Committee, a group of providers and community members who are familiar with HIV care. Research studies are then reviewed by our Scientific Committee, also known as the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is a group of doctors, nurses, scientists and community members who review the studies for benefits to the patient, ethical issues and scientific value. Research projects cannot start without the IRB’s review and approval. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) closely monitors the studies for safety.

Research participants are also protected through the use of an "Informed Consent" form. Before anyone participates in research, patients will have the opportunity to ask questions about the study. The study staff will provide a written description of the study for patients to read and sign before patients can participate. Patients who volunteer to participate can choose to discontinue their participation in the research at any time.

• What are HIV clinical trials?

They are scientific studies to develop new and better ways to treat and monitor HIV/AIDS. Clinical trials may involve already available medications in new combinations or new medications that are being developed. Clinical research studies with investigational medications are conducted to help us learn about their safety and effectiveness.

• What kinds of clinical research studies are available at the CORE Center?

There are many clinical research studies available to CORE Center patients. These are studies for patients starting HIV medications for the first time, studies for patients with certain infections to learn the best treatment, and studies for patients whose current treatment is no longer working well. The types of studies that are open change from time to time -- research department staff or your medical provider can tell you more about them.

• Are clinical trials safe for me?

Once patients begin participating in a clinical trial, the research nurses closely monitor the patients’ symptoms and laboratory test results for any changes. The information is shared with the study investigator and the medical provider to make sure the medications are safe for the patients.

Patients can volunteer for observational/survey research at the CORE Center, if they meet the study requirements. These studies help investigators learn more about how HIV affects people. Women and adolescents have access to studies, including the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) and the Women and Infants Transmission Study (WITS). Patients participating in WITS receive obstetric/gynecologic and pediatric follow-up care.

Patients that are new to the CORE Center also have an opportunity to participate in HOSUS (Health Outcomes and Service Utilization Study), which is a project to help us understand the relationship between whether having support services available helps people get the care they need for HIV.

Patients at the CORE Center who are triply diagnosed (HIV, mental illness and substance abuse) may be eligible to participate in the HIV Integration Project (HIP). The goal of this study is to help us understand how the combined services for mental health, substance abuse and HIV primary care will affect treatment adherence, health outcome and cost of health care.

If you are interested, your medical provider can tell you about studies that are available and open to patient participation. Staff in the research department can also answer your questions.

The CORE Center
Research Department
2020 W. HarrisonChicago, IL 60612