Clinical Research Centre
Hospital Queen Elizabeth
Sabah
WhoWe Are
The Clinical Research Centre Hospital Queen Elizabeth (CRC HQE), also previously known as CRC Sabah, was first established as part of the Network of Clinical Research Centres of the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2008. It has been operational since 2008 with the aim of promoting, supporting, and conducting quality and ethical clinical research to improve patients’ outcomes in HQE. Previously, since 2008, CRC Sabah was temporarily located in the Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Unit (CAPD Unit) in Hospital Queen Elizabeth. In March 2010, it officially moved to its own premise, a modest colonial bungalow converted into an office within the Hospital Queen Elizabeth compound. Since the move, a vast expansion of research facilities within the hospital has been done to support the increasing activities of research trainings, investigator-initiated research (IIR), and industry-sponsored research (ISR) in the hospital.
OurTeam
InvestigatorsHighlight
Head of CRC, Head of Unit of Pain Medicine Subspecialty, Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Sabah
Email: dragonrajan77@gmail.com
MD (USM), MANAES (USM), FIPM (Daradia, Kolkata)
Areas of interest: Clinical Trials, Pain
Awards and achievements:
- Excellent Medical Service Award (APC) 2005, 2012: Health Department of Sabah State (JKNS)
- Senior Clinical Anaesthetist in charge of medical doctors in the Department of Anaesthesiology & ICU in Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2, Sabah, Malaysia - 2012 till 2015
- Chairman of 2nd Borneo Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Conference - BAIPC 2015
- Vice Chairman of National Anaesthesia Day 2023
- Chairman of Sabah Research Day 2019 & 2023
- Expansion and development of Anaesthesiology Department of Keningau Specialist Hospital in Keningau, Sabah (2006- 2008) and expansion and development of Pain Management Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (since 2018)
- Visiting Lecturer for University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Training Institute Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu (ILKKM)
I am a Pain Medicine and Anaesthesiology consultant in Hospital Queen Elizabeth. I lead an enthusiastic and dedicated team focused on conducting a wide range of clinical research and trials. With expertise in Investigator-Initiated Research (IIR) and Industry-Sponsored Research (ISR), I have contributed to the advancement of pain management and anaesthesiology. I and my team have engaged in diverse types of studies, including clinical trials, observational studies, and interventional research. Our work aims to develop innovative treatments and improve patient health outcomes. I have numerous publications in prestigious journals, reflecting my commitment to advancing medical knowledge and sharing valuable insights with the broader medical community. With a strong dedication to both patient care and research, I will continue to push the boundaries of patient health management and clinical research.
Research Highlights
An International Randomised Trial of Additional Treatments for COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients Receiving Local Standard of Care.
- Preliminary results suggest that certain antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatments may offer significant benefits when added to the standard care regimen.
- The study highlights the importance of adaptive trial designs to quickly evaluate multiple treatment options in response to evolving evidence and emerging viral variants.
Multi-disciplinary Successful Management of Trigeminal Neuralgia
- This case underscores the necessity of a multi-disciplinary approach in managing TN, highlighting the potential for surgical intervention to enhance patient quality of life when conventional treatments are ineffective.
Caudal Epidural for Pain Management of Prostate Cancer
- The study shows that the administration of a caudal epidural injection, offers a safer and effective alternative to conventional pain management methods resulting in a notable reduction in pain and a marked improvement in the patient's quality of life Medication
Compliance of Patients Attending a Pain Clinic at a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia
- This study emphasizes the critical role of pharmacological management in pain relief, while also addressing the significant barrier of poor patient compliance.
- The study underscores the necessity for concerted efforts in implementing strategies, as effective planning and execution can substantially improve the quality of life forpatients experiencing pain
Recent Publications
An uncommon Complication of Central Venous Catheter Insertion: A Case Report
Project Highlights
I-TECH trial was conducted in 2021. This study began on May 31, 2021 to evaluate the efficacy of Ivermectin in treating COVID-19 among high-risk patients with mild to moderate symptoms. The study, which included 500 patients was conducted across 21 sites in Malaysia. Participants were divided into two groups: one received a five-day course of Ivermectin along with standard care, while the other group received only the standard care. The primary goal of the study was to assess whether Ivermectin could prevent the progression of COVID-19 to severe disease. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of ICU admissions, need for mechanical ventilation, symptom recovery, or other clinical outcomes. The study also noted that adverse events were more common in the Ivermectin group, with diarrhea being the most frequent side effect.
This study emphasized that despite some early studies suggesting potential benefits, the more robust and larger I-TECH study does not support the use of Ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19. This study also highlighted that promoting Ivermectin as a "miracle drug" without sufficient evidence is irresponsible, as it could lead to false assurances and delay proper medical treatment.
I-TECH trial was conducted in 2021. This study began on May 31, 2021 to evaluate the efficacy of Ivermectin in treating COVID-19 among high-risk patients with mild to moderate symptoms. The study, which included 500 patients was conducted across 21 sites in Malaysia. Participants were divided into two groups: one received a five-day course of Ivermectin along with standard care, while the other group received only the standard care. The primary goal of the study was to assess whether Ivermectin could prevent the progression of COVID-19 to severe disease. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of ICU admissions, need for mechanical ventilation, symptom recovery, or other clinical outcomes. The study also noted that adverse events were more common in the Ivermectin group, with diarrhea being the most frequent side effect.
This study emphasized that despite some early studies suggesting potential benefits, the more robust and larger I-TECH study does not support the use of Ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19. This study also highlighted that promoting Ivermectin as a "miracle drug" without sufficient evidence is irresponsible, as it could lead to false assurances and delay proper medical treatment.
| NMRR-19-1076-46726 |
A Longitudinal Cohort Study for Dementia patients in Hospital Queen Elizabeth |
| NMRR-22-01057-VDO | A Survey on the Recovery Response towards COVID-19 Pandemic by Malaysian Government Pain Clinics |
| NMRR-21-1480-60316 | A therapeutic intervention via diet modification using Sabah Traditional Rice for type 2 diabetes mellitus patient to elucidate the molecular mechanism of action |
| NMRR-23-02280-PVL | Clinical Audit On Time To Admission And Time To Surgery For Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients |
| NMRR-23-03445-CHG | Cross cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Malaysian Version of Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs Pain Scale (LANSS) |
| NMRR-23-03698-FXG | Cross Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Malaysian Version of Waterloo-Stanford Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility: Form C (WSGC) |
| NMRR-19-727-47742 | Detection, Diagnosis and Cancer Treatment Timeline in Malaysia |
| NMRR-24-00355-RNB | Economic Burden of Chronic Pain in Malaysia |
| NMRR-23-01867-G6F | Effectiveness of a domicilliary palliative care training programme in Sabah |
| NMRR-23-02625-XPO | Effectiveness of Nutrition Intervention in Weight Management Program Among Healthcare Providers at Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Kota Kinabalu |
| NMRR-20-699-54086 | Optimizing Bolus Tracking Technique in CTPA with reposition of ROI at the Superior Vena Cava |
| NMRR-22-01208-LUO | Psychological Evaluation of COVID-19 Bereaved Families: Single Centre Experience in Sabah |
| NMRR-24-01607-9UB | Epidemiology of Thalassaemia in Sabah |
| NMRR-19-3887-52245 | Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Streptococcus Pneumoniae In Healthy Population In Malaysia |
| NMRR-24-01815-KDL | Studies of Heart & Kidney Protection with BI 690517 in combination with empagliflozin: A multi center, international, randomiszed, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the aldosterone synthase inhibitor BI 690517 in combination with empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease |
| NMRR-18-1591-42483 |
A Phase 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study to Evaluate Upadacitinib in Adolescent and Adult Subjects with Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis |
| NMRR-18-1256-41946 | A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Fixed Dose Combination of Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide versus Dolutegravir + Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate in Treatment Naïve, HIV-1 and Hepatitis B Co-Infected Adults |
List of Publications associated with CRC HQE
- A Before-After Study to Evaluate the Effect of Pharmacy Workflow Redesign to Improve Pharmacy Waiting Time and Reduce Medication Near Misses in Malaysia.
- Liew JES, Chong Cheng Y, Tai NL, Pereira A, Manivannan V, Khoo SL, Wong WK, Lim HK, Ong SJ, Khairudin NBM, Lee KSF, Loh BCC, Chong KL, Lee YL
Services at CRC Hospital Queen Elizabeth
CRC HQE provides training through workshops and consultations:
- Introduction to Clinical Research
- Basic Research methodology
- Basic Statistics
- Good Clinical Practice
*For those who are interested, please fill out the registration of interest form at this LINK
CRC provides research consultation in the following areas:
- Proposal
- Statistics
- NMRR registration
- Ethical requirement
*For those requiring consultation, please reach out to us for an appointment at this LINK
Meet Our Collaborators
CRC Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Sabah
Hospital Queen Elizabeth,
Main Phone: 088-517507
Email: crc.sabah@moh.gov.my | crchqe@gmail.com
