District IIa Learns about Medical Research

Published

Carol Hernandez of Ne-Ia-Shing Clinic gave District IIa Band members an update April 18 on medical research studies being conducted at Ne-Ia-Shing Clinic in conjunction with the University of Minnesota.

Three studies are in the works: one on nicotine metabolism, one on lung cancer screening, and one on precision medicine.

Carol said the nicotine metabolism study aims to determine how Native Americans are affected by nicotine in order to determine the best methods of smoking cessation.

The study provides incentives of $25 for the initial one- to two-hour office visit plus $25 for keeping track of smoking for a week.

The precision medicine study intends to determine how to cater treatment of illness specifically toward Native Americans.

The lung cancer screening study will help researchers spot lung cancer in its earliest stages in order to treat it as effectively as possible.

Carol stressed the importance of research on Native Americans, since most medical research has focused on people of European descent.

She assured Band members that any information gathered by the study would be strictly confidential.
If you would like to participate in these studies, call Carol at 320-443-4205.

Also addressing the District IIa community on April 18 were Assistant Commissioner of Administration Baabiitaw Boyd, who shared department goals for 2019, and Kevin and Brad Harrington, who invited everyone to their Sober Night Memoriam event May 16 (see page 16).