VELOCITY CLINICAL RESEARCH

Getting accurate information about the efficacy of drugs is the cornerstone of all the pharmaceutical advances that have been made since penicillin was discovered in 1929. Before any drug is approved by the FDA, it has to go through a rigorous system of clinical trials with volunteers willing to participate.

And that’s where Velocity Clinical Research, located at 1867 Williams Highway, Suite 109A, comes in. The facility was founded in 2019 by Dr. John Delgado, MD, an experienced research physician. Dr. Delgado is a Board Certified family physician and clinical researcher with over 30 years experience in the Rogue Valley.

“We moved here 30 years ago because of the beautiful location in which to raise a family and the opportunity to pursue my passion in functional medicine, clinical therapeutics and research,” Dr. Delgado said.

The site manager is Melissa Myers, who was raised in Phoenix, Oregon. “We love the small-town feeling of Grants Pass, along with the scenery that really makes us love calling Southern Oregon home,” she said. “This has been a great place to raise our kids, and there’s nothing better than having the mountains and ocean close by.”

Velocity is actively recruiting patients for clinical research trials for allergies, asthma, migraines, COPD, eczema, weight loss, high cholesterol, sinus infections, smoking cessation, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and more. And of course, healthy volunteers are always welcomed. There is no cost to participate and no insurance required. Compensation for time and travel may also be available.

Dr. Delgado has a personal investment in clinical research. “My mother passed from cancer at a young age, which inspired me to dedicate my life’s work to reduce the impact of stress, toxicity and inflammation on an individual’s health,” he said. “It is my mission to empower people with the tools and information to improve overall wellbeing for as many people as possible.”

Melissa agreed. “I love the people I work with and seeing science unfold with patients,” she said. “I have been in research for 17 years and being able to see the impact we have on some patients is incredible. Some of the medicines we’ve studied have been life changing for some, and that fuels my passion to see the impact we have made. Our job and volunteers help get these medications approved so others have the ability to access them.”

The Velocity Grants Pass team of physician investigators and clinical research professionals are experienced clinical researchers. All physicians are board certified in their specialty area(s) and all research staff are trained in clinical research regulations. Training records and certifications are maintained. The clinical team is dedicated to conducting quality research in a professional and caring environment and strives on collecting quality data.

“People who volunteer to participate in clinical trials are key to the advancement of medical research,” Dr. Delgado said. “Our sites are dedicated to conducting clinical trials with an emphasis on patient care. Our physician investigators and other members of our research teams are extensively trained in different medical subspecialties as well as the complex field of clinical research. We strive to provide our study participants and sponsors a high quality, efficient and care-directed clinical trial experience.”

According to Melissa, clinical trials are a crucial part of finding new medicines and treatments for diseases. “There are many reasons why people volunteer to participate in clinical trials,” she said. “You may have the opportunity to play a role in the development of new treatments, devices or preventions for certain diseases or medical conditions, along with getting access to investigational treatments before they are available.”

Velocity Grants Pass is a facility that typically does phase 2 or 3 studies, which means that in most cases these medications are in their final step of getting FDA approved and have been tried by thousands of people. They do not provide primary care, but Dr. Delgado is there throughout the study to chat if/when needed. After one study ends, they can do another one if eligible. All trials are performed in accordance with ICH and FDA guidelines.

For more information, the phone number is 541-237-0323. You can also see them on Facebook and at velocityclinical.com.