Meet the PANORAMIC Team: The People Powering the Trial
In this section, we shine a spotlight on the dedicated individuals behind the PANORAMIC trial. From clinicians to trial managers, each team member plays a pivotal role in driving this groundbreaking research forward. Their stories, experiences, and relentless commitment provide a unique behind-the-scenes look at the human effort and collaboration essential to PANORAMIC's success.
Fliss - Trial Administrator
I love working as an Administrator in the PANORAMIC Trial Call Team. This is my first time working on a clinical trial. So, I chose PANORAMIC - exceptional in scale, conducted remotely, and a fabulous challenge! Fortunately, lots of the Call Team had also joined the trial from different fields, so we drew on very diverse experiences, learning from and with each other.
We are a very busy team. When COVID cases were very high and anti-viral treatment was not widely available, we handled scores of calls each to very poorly people every day. This is one of the reasons we are such a fabulous team, built on compassion for participants and for each other.
Talking with participants in different parts of the UK, giving them the clear information they need, is really rewarding. I remember most the calls which finish with a participant telling me they now feel confident and reassured, when before they felt afraid or alone.
I admire the generosity of people who think of others, despite their own symptoms. They sit down at a keyboard or take a phone call and are keen to contribute to finding a medicine which will help other people get better more quickly and stop them going into hospital.
Andrew – Randomising Clinician
As one of several GPs working on PANORAMIC I’m involved mainly in talking to participants, making sure they know what’s involved, answering questions, ensuring they are eligible and willing to take part, and randomising them into the trial. I get the chance to talk to people all over the country every day. Personally, it has been a very rewarding role being involved in a trial that tests whether certain antivirals keep people well and out of hospital, hopefully protecting them from an illness that has caused so much disruption and pain to so many people. PANORAMIC is a unique trial offering treatment on a large scale to people remotely. It has been a privilege to be even a small part of it all. During the height of the pandemic the trial was fantastically supported by interest from potential participants, but as COVID has gradually slipped out of the everyday news we have had to be more creative in getting the message out there that this is still a debilitating illness, and we must continue to test new antivirals. Thankfully, once people know about the trial, they are usually very positive and willing to help.
Ivy – Trial Manager
I am one of two Trial Managers working on PANORAMIC. Sophie is my counterpart, and between us we have oversight of the central trial team who are made up of Assistant Trial Managers, Coordinators and Administrators. PANORAMIC is the largest and most challenging trial I have ever worked on, but it is by far also the most rewarding. Working on PANORAMIC has often felt like a steep learning curve with daily (sometimes hourly) problem solving, such as recruitment hurdles and database issues. However, the collective effort of everyone involved in the trial to overcome these challenges cannot be underestimated.
Lucy – Senior Trial Manager
My role as a Senior Trial Manager is to oversee the set-up and running of clinical trials within the Primary Care CTU. Working on PANORAMIC is not like any other trial I’ve ever worked on. As with most COVID-19 trials, it is unpredictable and fast-paced, but the sheer size of PANORAMIC is what makes it so extraordinary. On my first week at the CTU I was involved in the PANORAMIC MHRA inspection. It was a huge challenge, but it meant I got up to speed on trial procedures very quickly! My role in PANORAMIC is more involved than it would be on a ‘normal’ study. The trial has been designed to ‘take research to the patient’, which means there are extra roles for the central trial team to cover. Adding in the frequent meetings required between the team and with external collaborators, the colossal task of dispensing study drugs from our CTU, and the additional complexities that come with running a COVID-19 study, it is a constant challenge. We have a fantastic trial team who all work tremendously hard to make PANORAMIC a success; I am consistently impressed with their creativity, dedication and resilience.
Jenny - Assistant Trial Manager
I joined the trial right when the virology sub-study had just started recruiting. It was a whirlwind introduction for sure, but I was immediately welcomed and immersed into a supportive team. Due to the size and speed of PANORAMIC, the team was structured so that everyone had a specific lead area to manage. This structured approach is unlike any other trial as most trials don’t need such a big team. My main role focuses on trial medication, such as oversight of medication dispensing and the return of unused medication. However, over the past two years I have been involved in almost every aspect of the trial at one point or another as we all come together to overcome challenges and take on big tasks. It’s been both a challenging and exhilarating journey like no other role I have experienced before!