Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Helps Veterans in the Future by Conducting Research Today
Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is looking toward the future of health care by championing opportunities for Veterans to be part of high-quality clinical trials that could lead to innovative results for Veterans receiving health care today and those who will enroll in VA health care in the future.
“National cancer guidelines state that the best cancer care is delivered when patients are on a clinical trial, and we want to be able to offer Veterans that opportunity here,” said Bay Pines VA Radiation Oncologist Ryan Burri. “I’m currently leading 7 trials, and my focus is on providing access to ground-breaking clinical trials to Veterans with cancer.”
Burri has fifteen years of experience and added that he’s seen a lot of advancement since he arrived to Bay Pines VA full-time in 2014.
“At that time, we had no funding to support cancer trials, so nothing was available at Bay Pines VA,” continued Burri. “Over the past 6 years, though collaboration with colleagues at Moffitt Cancer Center and other VA medical centers, we have been able to open 18 trials at Bay Pines for patients with cancer or at risk for cancer and have enrolled several hundred Veterans on these studies.”
One of the reasons clinical trials has seen a steady increase is the healthcare system’s partnership with Bay Pines Foundation.
“It’s important to include Veterans in clinical trials and not just ones that are specific to Veterans such as combat injuries,” said Bay Pines Foundation Executive Director Caitlyn Mahaney. “There are currently 40 trials, 27 of which are active non-VA funded, ongoing at Bay Pines VA.”
The Bay Pines Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization who pledges to honor and serve Veterans and their families by advancing innovative research and education initiatives with the goal of improving Veteran health outcomes. The healthcare system and foundation are celebrating 26 years of partnership in 2024.
The health care system has built on its success and is one the leading sites for enrollees across the nation in the Veterans Affairs Lung Cancer Surgery or Radiation Therapy (VALOR) trial.
“VALOR is a VA-sponsored clinical trial that is working to identify the best treatment for Veterans diagnosed with stage I lung cancer,” continued Burri. “The results of this trial will be critical toward our ability of establishing a new standard of care for stage I lung cancer.”
Veteran participation in clinical trials is voluntary and not a requirement to receive care. Veterans who may be eligible are notified by their clinicians who provide information and resources to ensure Veterans can make the most informed decision about their choice to participate.
“Veterans who volunteer for clinical trials are making a difference by contributing to the medical care of Veterans in the future through an improved understanding of best medical practices,” added Burri who said many of the participants feel their involvement in a clinical trial is a way for them to pay it forward. “Volunteering for a clinical trial can be a difficult personal choice, and that’s why we are so grateful to all of the Veterans at Bay Pines who have stepped forward over the years to be part of this process.”