The Discovery Channel's three-part documentary series "First in Human" takes a close look at the experiences of researchers, physicians and patients at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Here are three things to know about the series and the NIH Clinical Center.
1. The documentary was filmed over the course of a year at the hospital and is narrated by "Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons.
2. The NIH Clinical Center is the largest hospital in the United States completely devoted to clinical research. Since the hospital's founding in 1953, clinicians and researchers have treated more than 500,000 patients who've volunteered to participate in clinical trials. More than 1,600 clinical research studies are currently ongoing at the hospital.
"For thousands of patients around the world, NIH is known as the National Institutes of Hope, and I am delighted that Discovery's series will educate the public on the bravery of our volunteer patients who are our partners in scientific discovery," said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD. "This film depicts, in a very poignant way, the difficult decisions faced by many suffering from disease and the profound contribution of research participants to improving treatments for all."
3. Part one and two of the documentary aired Aug. 10 and Aug. 17, respectively. Part three will air Aug. 24.
To learn more and watch a clip from the program, click here.
More articles on quality:
Study: Off-pump open heart surgery linked to higher death risk
AHRQ report: Access to care and quality improve, but disparities remain
6 Rhode Island hospitals with top nurse-patient communication scores