Cold researchers seek study participants

That achy, sneezy, itchy, stuffy and simply miserable feeling that is the result of having a common cold may not have to be so miserable in the future. A new cold treatment being studied at the UW Medical School, if proven effective, may revolutionize how we treat the common cold.

The new treatment is a nasal spray, and the trial will test whether use of the new medication can prevent or lessen the severity of colds. The trial will be conducted by James Gern at the new Morris Institute for Respiratory Research located within the University of Wisconsin Hospital.

Gern hopes to recruit 40 study participants between the ages of 18 and 60 who are willing to get a cold. Qualifying participants will use the new medication for the first five days of the cold, and will have follow-up visits one and four weeks later.

For information on cold study participation, call (608) 262-7169.