Local GP and medical practice support for ASPREE recognised
Local Wonthaggi girl, Dr Sharyn Fitzgerald recently travelled back to her home town to present plaques of appreciation to medical centres on behalf of a world-first international research trial.
More than 100 healthy people aged 70 and over from the Wonthaggi region have enrolled in the ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) since the trial began in the area in May this year. Most participants had heard about the study from their GP.
The plaques are to recognise and thank staff at the Wonthaggi Medical Group and South Gippsland Family Medicine for supporting the trial.
Dr Fitzgerald, a scientific researcher, who is based at Monash University in Melbourne, is not at all surprised at the community interest in healthy ageing research.
“I grew up in Wonthaggi – it has always been a community-minded town from its earliest days when the mines started. It is really great to see that the spirit of being involved and giving back to the community continues today with the total support that we have been shown by the practices and their patients,” said Dr Fitzgerald, who as a Regional Manager, oversees seven clinical trial centres in regional Victoria.
“I was really excited when I found out that ASPREE would be recruiting participants in my hometown and the level of interest from the community has well and truly exceeded our expectations. We are still keen to include more local people in the study and anyone interested can speak to their local doctor. ”
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South Gippsland Family Medicine -
Wonthaggi Medical Group
ASPREE is the largest GP-based study ever undertaken in Australia. The trial is testing whether aspirin can prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease, dementia and certain cancers and will, for the first time, weigh the potential benefits versus the risks of daily low-dose aspirin in healthy adults aged 70 or more.
After an initial screening process, ASPREE participants are randomly assigned to take 100mg of aspirin or a placebo (dummy) tablet daily and undergo annual health checks.
Dr Fitzgerald said ASPREE appealed to people because participation in the study required little effort and it was one of the few trials to bring international research to regional and rural communities.
The trial aims to enrol 16,000 Australians. Over 9,000 older people from metropolitan and regional Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, the ACT and parts of NSW are currently enrolled in ASPREE.
ASPREE would like to thank the South Gippsland Sentinal Times for permission to reproduce these photographs on our website.