Published on: 6 February 2026
A new research study has started in our area. It wants to help people who get heartburn. It also hopes to lower the risk of cancer for these people.
The study is called Heartburn Health. It is running across the UK. It looks at how to give better care to people with heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux.
The programme is now in more places in the North East. This includes Sunderland, Washington and County Durham. The team is looking for volunteers aged 55 to 79 who have these symptoms.
The study is supported by the NHS and Cancer Research UK.
The team wants at least 120,000 people to join the programme. Joining the study will help research move faster.
It will help doctors learn more about these symptoms. It may also help people feel better and stay healthy.
All the details can be found via this link: Heartburn Health
Who can join
Heartburn Health is open to:
- men aged 55 to 79
- women aged 65 to 79
They must have heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux, or take medicine for these problems. People can sign themselves up on the Heartburn Health website.
Some volunteers may also be asked to join the BEST4 Screening Trial. This trial is testing a new tool called a “pill-on-a-thread”. This test may help find a condition called Barrett’s oesophagus.
This condition can sometimes lead to cancer of the food pipe. Finding problems early means treatment can start sooner.
The programme is supported by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. It will start in Sunderland and move to Stanley, Durham and Washington by March.
Heartburn is very common. About one in four adults in the UK get it. About one in ten people with long-term heartburn may get Barrett’s oesophagus.
A small number of these people may then get cancer of the food pipe.
In the UK, around 9,300 people are told they have this cancer each year. About 22 people a day die from it. Up to 59% of cases can be prevented.
It only takes a few minutes to join Heartburn Health. By signing up, people in our area can help an important UK-wide study.
All information shared by volunteers is kept safe. Only approved researchers can use it.
How to take part
People can sign up on the Heartburn Health website. They can also call 0808 281 4772 for help.
If you get a text message from ‘NHSresearch’, you can click the link to join.
More details are at www.heartburnhealth.org
Who is involved
Heartburn Health was created by teams at the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London.
The NHS and Cancer Research UK also support the programme.
