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Heartburn Health
Safe People
Organisation name
University of Cambridge
Organisation sector
Academic Institute
Applicant name(s)
Rebecca Fitzgerald
Funders/ Sponsors
Safe Projects
Project ID
OFHR251017
Lay summary
Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux are common symptoms. They can cause daily discomfort and sometimes need long term medication. In rare cases, these symptoms can lead to more serious health problems. This programme will build a community of volunteers with heartburn. This will allow experts to research issues like: how to manage symptoms, improve medication and detect more serious health problems early (eg cancer) when they are easier to treatHeartburn Health (HH) will build a community of volunteers with heartburn. This community will help facilitate research in to heartburn as researchers will be able to access participant data and samples (with the necessary approvals) and approach participants who are interested in research. This means that research can be performed more quickly, using less resources. HH also helps find participants for a research study called BEST4 Screening. BEST4 Screening will see if the capsule sponge test can be used to screen for oesophageal (food pipe) health problems. Using the capsule sponge test to screen for health problems will allow us to find these earlier when they are easier to treat
Public benefit statement
The main goal is to improve care for people with heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux. The research generated through this programme will benefit people who experience these symptoms now and in future. BEST4 is a definitive screening trial which was discussed with the National Screening Committee and it is not expected there will be another randomised screening trial. However, there could be some additional research spurred on by the new information from the trial. Within Heartburn Health, potential research could include trials of lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise) to reduce the need for long-term medication to prevent reflux; trials of medication to reduce the risk of progression from non-dysplastic Barrett's (no abnormal changes in cells) to dysplastic Barrett's (abnormal changes in cells). Furthermore, studies to better understand the cause of oesophageal cancer (cancer found in oesophagus (gullet/food pipe)) in people with reflux and studies of the role of immune cells and gut microbiome in progression.
Request category type
Public Health Research
Other approval committees
Latest approval date
12/11/2025
Safe Data
Dataset(s) name
Participant data
Safe Setting
Access type
Release