Research from DCRI investigators will help determine whether medications prescribed off-label to individuals with Down syndrome are safe and effective.
The Pediatric Trials Network (PTN) received funding to contribute to the NIH’s Investigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndrome (INCLUDE) project.
The DCRI acts as a coordinating center for the PTN, a research network established to make drugs safer and more effective for pediatric patients. Investigators from the DCRI will work on the project; Mara Becker, MD, (pictured), will serve as the principal investigator of INCLUDE and will collaborate with Danny Benjamin, MD, PhD, MPH, principal investigator and chair of PTN.
The award will enable researchers to conduct work to characterize how drugs travel through the bodies of individuals with Down syndrome, as well as any potential effects. The research will focus on drugs that are already administered to children and young adults with Down syndrome, with an emphasis on including these individuals in ongoing clinical trials.
INCLUDE investigators will also work to develop a training program for clinical researchers to provide insight and guidance in trial design, recruitment, and engagement specifically for people with Down syndrome.
To learn more about the award, visit the PTN website.
