Research at Spectrum Health Lakeland
Research is the key to preventing illness in this community and in people all over the world, and it lies with you and your family. Spectrum Health Lakeland is dedicated to investigating and discovering new therapies with one ultimate goal – to enhance patient care. With original research, clinical trials, and cancer clinical research conducted within our system, patients have access to state-of-the-art treatments.
Original Research
Original research conducted every day within the Spectrum Health Lakeland system is done by trained physicians and staff. Research plays an integral role in transforming scientific discoveries into real-world therapies that prevent and treat illness and enhance our goal of helping people to achieve a better state of health. New therapies, treatments, medications, devices, and the development of medical knowledge all begin with clinical studies and research.
Clinical Trials
You can play an important role in the testing and approval of vaccines and other medications that can improve the quality of life for countless individuals, take a more active part in your own health care, and gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available by participating in clinical research.
There are many reasons why people enroll in clinical trials, including:
- Access to medications not yet available to the public
- Access to cutting-edge medical care
- Extra time with research staff for disease education
- Unique opportunities to help future patients
For more information on clinical research trials at Spectrum Health Lakeland click here.
Cancer Clinical Research
Lakeland provides patients with the opportunity to participate in different prevention, control, and treatment cancer research trials, all here in southwest Michigan. These trials are the same trials offered at major cancer research centers.
There are key benefits for patients to participate in a clinical trial, including:
- Helping to advance medical knowledge
- Gaining early access to promising drugs that are otherwise not available
- Possibly receiving free medications during the trial
In addition, Lakeland has a Cancer Registry department dedicated to collecting and analyzing data on cancer cases. This data is beneficial to the entire community. For more information on Cancer Clinical Research click here.