Researchers are looking for participants to test a potential new treatment for OCD
Volunteers taking part will be reimbursed for their time (including reasonable travel costs) and may be offered the study medication free of charge for 48 weeks.
A leading clinical research organisation is running a clinical trial to test a potential new medication for people living with OCD.
According to the NHS, it is estimated that a quarter of a million people are living with OCD in the UK at some point in their lives, that’s equivalent to 12 in every 1,000.
This number increases drastically when we consider those who haven’t received a diagnosis who could be living with OCD symptoms and not receiving the professional support they may need or understand why they are experiencing intrusive thoughts.
Dr Alex Worthington, Clinical Research Physician at MAC Clinical Research, explains that “obsessive-compulsive disorder, commonly referred to as OCD, is a mental health condition with three main parts: obsessions, emotions, and compulsions.
For #OCDWeek, we wanted to highlight some statistics and information to raise awareness of #OCD.
If you have OCD and are having little to no response to your current antidepressant treatment, you may be eligible to take part in a clinical trial.
“Obsessions are persistent thoughts, images, doubts, worries, or urges that intrude on an individual’s mind, despite being unwanted.
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“These thoughts can cause significant mental discomfort or anxiety. Some of the emotions felt due to intrusive thoughts can include guilt, depression, and disgust.
“Compulsions refer to repetitive behaviours that an individual engages in to temporarily alleviate the anxiety caused by the obsession. Examples of compulsions include checking if a door is locked multiple times or repeating certain phrases mentally.”
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There’s a need for more effective treatment options for OCD, which is why award-winning clinical research organisation, MAC Clinical Research is conducting a clinical trial to test a potential new treatment that is hoped to reduce OCD symptoms and ultimately improve quality of life.
Here at MAC, our OCD clinical trial is open for people struggling with OCD symptoms.
Eligible participants will receive up to £490 plus reasonable travel expenses.
If you or someone you know has been living with OCD or OCD symptoms, and provided you meet the overall criteria, you could be reimbursed up to £490 for your time and participation in the clinical trial plus reasonable travel expenses.
If the treatment works, you may be able to receive nearly a year’s worth (48 weeks) of the medication free of charge as part of an open-label extension study.
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You can find out more and register your interest HERE.
As explained in the summary for this clinical trial, “people with OCD tend to have signalling pathways in the brain which are overactive, causing intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviour or other OCD symptoms.
“Previous clinical trials suggest that the study medication works to dampen down these overactive pathways which may help people with OCD when used in combination with their usual antidepressant medication.”
The study is expected to run for approximately five months. The trial itself will involve taking the oral medication or a placebo daily for ten weeks alongside seven visits to the clinic for check-ups to examine if your OCD symptoms improve and how well you are coping with taking the medication.
As part of International OCD Awareness Week, MAC also looked intohow the condition affects people in the workplace and answered some of the public’s pressing questions surrounding the disorder with one of the organisation’s leading psychiatrists, Dr David Gregory.
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One of MAC’s leading psychiatrists sheds light on OCD treatment.
To ensure optimal safety, each study participant must meet a pre-determined set of eligibility criteria. To be eligible for the trial, you need to:
Be aged between 18-65
Have had OCD symptoms or an OCD diagnosis for at least 1 year that affects daily life.
Be taking an antidepressant for your OCD that isn’t fully helping.
To ensure optimal patient safety, participants must not have any of the following:
Bipolar, schizophrenia, autism, Tourette’s, or other psychiatric conditions
Diagnosed with an eating disorder.
Have diabetes that requires insulin.
Other criteria will apply.
If you want to learn more about MAC Clinical Research or if you’re considering being part of the clinical trial, you can learn more and register your interest by visiting their OCD research webpage.
For #OCDWeek, we wanted to share what some of our clinical trial participants said made them want to take part in OCD clinical research with MAC.
Featured Image — MAC Clinical Trial/The Manc Group
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BOX sports bar on Deansgate is putting on the perfect night out for fans of horse racing
Danny Jones
With Cheltenham Festival 2024 coming up, both casual punters and die-hard horse racing fans are getting ready for the massive sporting weekend and Deansgate’s beloved sports bar, BOX, has come up with the perfect event to get in the mood for it.
Put simply, if you like the thrill of horse racing or the idea of race day vibes but aren’t so keen on the real thing, this might be perfect for you.
Simply dubbed ‘Race Night’, the new monthly series combines the virtual world and interactive games with one of the biggest sporting disciplines on the planet, as well as plenty of booze and food to go along with it. Oh yeah, and plenty of friendly competition, of course.
Revolving around a virtual horse racing simulator which everyone inside the bar can get involved with, BOX’s mini Manc version of Cheltenham has already got underway and you can be a part of it – plus it goes towards a good cause too.
Having now visited ourselves, we can confirm Race Night brings a proper party atmosphere and a healthy dose of wanting to rub your victory in your friends’ faces.
Don’t worry, they get plenty of those too, even if not the bragging rights all for themselves.
As you can see, it’s all quite simple: you place bets on the virtual horse racing events via your phone and watch the heats live on the many big screens located around BOX bar’s massive Manchester venue on the main Deansgate strip.
With a total of five races to try and win during the night, you’ll have plenty of chances to holler your head off and cheer on your winner. Whether you’re a pro, a ‘once-a-year flutter’ kind of person, or just joining your mates for a laugh, we can certainly voucher for the vibes.
Better yet, beyond the user-fuelled action on the telly, there’s plenty more entertainment to be enjoyed on the night, from BOX‘s regular DJs and live music to plenty of other interactive party games to give other guests a chance to win extra prizes.
A very fun and often silly party. (Credit: The Manc Group)
‘What’s the top prize?’, we hear you ask: how does a £200 bar tab sound?
Even from entry, your £5 entry fee scores you a complimentary glass of prosecco upon arrival and, as always, there’s plenty of delicious food and drink to tide you over throughout the night.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how Race Night works:
Guests place their bets with fun money tokens through our virtual bookies on their phones.
You can bet on multiple horses per race but you are only paid out for the winner.
This payout goes directly into each of their betting accounts so will change throughout the event.
Odds are worked out via the software and vary by however many people bet on the same horse.
Races are pre-recorded – it all comes down to the luck of which horse you pick.
The winner is the person at the end who has the most fun money in their betting account.
The overall winner gets a £200 bar tab.
Table downstairs for our live band at 9pm.
Two rounds of the ‘Chair Jockey’ game: first to pop the balloon gets a round of shots for their table.
Put your inhibitions aside, folks – there’s booze to be won. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Set to happen every month, with the next event taking place from 7-9pm on Friday, 14 March – the week of this year’s Cheltenham Festival – you don’t want to miss out on the unique virtual and immersive sporting event.
You’ll also be glad to hear that all profits from the tickets, which are again just a fiver, will be donated to MNDA (Motor Neurone Disease Association), with a guaranteed minimum donation of £2.50.
Before you inevitably get off your seat to cheer on a digital horse and jockey, you can book yours HERE.
With just a few days left of the competition, it also happens to be one of the best places to watch the 2025 Six Nations.
Hit theatre production set at a house party to visit Manchester on UK tour
Daisy Jackson
Alright then, 24 hour party people, we’ve found a theatre production you might like the sound of – it’s called The House Party, and it’s set in (you guessed it) a house party.
This smash hit production by pioneering theatre company Headlong is set to land at HOME in March as part of the arts venue’s 2025 theatre season.
It tells the tale of a wild 18th birthday party, where Christine is trying to pick up the pieces of her best friend, a newly-dumped Julie (who happens to be the birthday girl).
Themes of class, power and privilege are all explored with a raw intensity as the cast on stage plough through shots and dive head-first into a night that will change everything they know.
The House Party, which has received glowing reviews from previous showings, is filled with ‘privilege, desire and destruction’.
When it stops off in Manchester, its cast will include Bridgerton’s Sesley Hope as Christine, Synnøve Karlsen (Miss Austen, Last Night in Soho) as Julie, and Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack, Patience) as Jon.
The ensemble of Frantic Assembly performers includes Ines Aresti, Oliver Baines, Cal Connor, Micah Corbin-Powell, Rachael Leonce, Jaheem Pinder and Jamie Randall.
The House Party is written by Laura Lomas and is a reimagining of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie for today’s generation.
It’s directed by Headlong’s artistic director Holly Race Roughan, who directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere of David Edgar’s major new political play The New Real.
The House Party. Credit: Ikin YumThe production will be at HOME. Credit: Supplied
Movement direction will come from Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham.
Prior to the UK tour of The House Party, Headlong celebrated its 50 year anniversary, including the hit production of A Raisin in the Sun which played nationwide.
The House Party will be at HOME in Manchester between 25 and 29 March, 2025 – you can get your tickets HERE.
Danny Jones -
16th November 2023 
