Pioneering Heartburn Health Programme Launches in London
A major new research initiative, the Heartburn Health Programme, is launching in London, with an initial focus on the boroughs of South East London. The programme aims to improve care and outcomes for people living with heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion.
Heartburn affects up to 1 in 4 adults in the UK and can be a warning sign for more serious conditions, including oesophageal cancer – the 7th leading cause of cancer death in the country.
Volunteers aged 55 to 79 for men and 65 to 79 for women, who experience these symptoms are being invited to join the programme and help play a leading role in a national community of at least 120,000 volunteers. Enrolment to Heartburn Health will create a dedicated bioresource to speed up research that will transform how heartburn and acid reflux is treated and improve care for people with these symptoms.
Heartburn Health is run by a team based across the University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and is an NHS and Cancer Research UK supported research programme. Eligible people across London will be invited to take part via secure NHS communications. Participation is entirely voluntary, and individuals can choose whether or not to take part.
The Heartburn Health Programme aims to:
- Improve understanding of heartburn, reflux and indigestion
- Support earlier detection of serious conditions
- Explore new approaches to treatment and symptom management
- Enhance long-term care and patient outcomes
By building a large and diverse research community, the programme will help clinicians and researchers develop evidence-based improvements in care for millions of people affected by digestive symptoms across the UK.
Strict data protection measures are in place. NHS England will use limited information to identify people who may be eligible and invite them to participate, with personal data handled securely and not shared directly with research teams without consent.
People invited to take part can choose to opt out at any time, ensuring full control over participation.
Request for London boroughs:
Heartburn Health is a national NHS-supported research programme which aims to improve care for people with heartburn, indigestion, or acid reflux. It is currently active in London and is building a community of volunteers aged 55–79 who experience these symptoms (or take medication for them), to support research and improve future care.
We would be very grateful if you could help spread the word through your channels (e.g. email, newsletters, social media, community groups).
- People can sign up in just a few minutes here: heartburnhealth.org
- If someone receives a text message from ‘NHSresearch’, they can also click the link in the message to sign up
By joining, participants contribute to vital research and may be invited to take part in exciting research studies – including the BEST4 Screening trial, which focuses on early detection of oesophageal conditions.
- Watch a short video explaining Heartburn Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z63cpdmvvo
- For more information, visit: heartburnhealth.org
- Follow and share updates on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartburnhealth
Thank you very much for your support in helping us reach people who could benefit from and contribute to this important research.