ASPIRE-ICU study officially started

After months of preparation the first site in the ASPIRE-ICU study started 27th of May, 2015. The Medical Ethical Committee (METC) of the University Medical Center Utrecht gave their approval 06 May 2015 to begin with the study phase of the protocol at the UMCU.

The local Principal Investigator, Olaf Cremer and his research staff were trained in the protocol, protocol procedures, and very important for ASPIRE-ICU, specimen sample management. An intensive collaboration between the COMBACTE partners from CLIN-NET, LAB-NET and MedImmune was needed to obtain the METC approval for study protocol, Informed Consent, Database,  eCRF, Lab manual and materials and monitoring procedures to be ready for the study initiation visit.

The next country to start is Spain. The ASPIRE-ICU study team is working closely together with the regional coordinator in Spain, Jesús Rodríguez Baño, to obtain the required approvals in order to start in August/September 2015. The ASPIRE-ICU will be initiated in about 30 sites in 10-12 countries.

The train has left the station but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to make the ASPIRE-ICU study a success.