Which Dr Paul Cox worked on clinical trials — how do I identify the correct researcher?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Two different Dr. Paul Cox figures appear in reporting, but the clinical-trial author and promoter of L‑serine for neurodegenerative diseases is Paul Alan Cox, PhD — executive director of Brain Chemistry Labs — who has led FDA‑approved Phase II trials (125‑patient L‑serine trial started Aug 2022) and earlier ALS studies (15 g twice daily) [1] [2]. Available sources do not mention a different “Dr Paul Cox” running these same clinical trials; other Paul Cox identities are not documented in the provided reporting (not found in current reporting).
1. Who is the Paul Cox tied to clinical trials — clear identity and role
Paul Alan Cox, PhD, is repeatedly identified in institutional and media accounts as the researcher behind clinical trials of the amino acid L‑serine for neurodegenerative diseases. He is named as Executive Director of Brain Chemistry Labs / Institute for Ethnomedicine and is credited with launching FDA‑approved Phase II work, including a 125‑patient trial begun in August 2022 in collaboration with Houston Methodist Research Institute [1]. His organization and public profiles describe earlier human work in ALS and preclinical findings that motivated the trials [2] [1].
2. What trials and doses are cited in the reporting
Reporting specifies a Phase II trial of L‑serine for Mild Cognitive Impairment that enrolled 125 patients starting August 2022 [1]. Earlier human trials and reports include an ALS trial where L‑serine at 15 grams twice daily was associated with slowing of functional decline, and Phase I safety testing by independent labs is also described [1] [3]. Fortune’s longform reporting names researchers overseeing Phase II work in ALS and Alzheimer’s contexts and notes complementary investigator roles and dose regimens [3].
3. How to confirm you’ve found the correct researcher
To identify the correct Dr. Paul Cox in other records, match these unique markers from the reporting: the middle name/initial “Alan” and affiliation with Brain Chemistry Labs / Institute for Ethnomedicine in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; publicized projects on L‑serine for Alzheimer’s and ALS; collaborations with Houston Methodist Research Institute; and media profiles in Fortune and trade coverage [1] [3] [2]. These ties consistently point to Paul Alan Cox as the clinical‑trial lead in available sources [1] [3].
4. Competing perspectives and limitations in the sources
Sources present an optimistic narrative about L‑serine’s potential but also place this work amid a history of frequent Alzheimer’s trial failures and regulatory hurdles, noting that most candidate drugs do not succeed through Phase III [3]. The provided sources highlight early‑stage promise, safety data and investigator‑led Phase II activity but do not supply final efficacy results from large, confirmatory trials [3] [1]. Available sources do not report Phase III outcomes or an FDA approval for L‑serine as an Alzheimer’s or ALS treatment (not found in current reporting).
5. Why mistaken identity risks matter for readers and reporters
Multiple professionals named Paul Cox could exist; confusing them risks attributing clinical work wrongly. The documents here tether the clinical trial work to a specific scientist (Paul Alan Cox) through institutional listings, press releases and magazine features — a reliable short list of identifiers to use when vetting other sources [1] [3]. If another “Paul Cox” appears in a document without the Alan middle name or Brain Chemistry Labs affiliation, treat that as a red flag until corroborated [1].
6. Practical next steps to verify any external claim
When you encounter a claim that “Dr Paul Cox” worked on clinical trials, check for (a) the exact name “Paul Alan Cox, PhD,” (b) affiliations (Brain Chemistry Labs / Institute for Ethnomedicine; Houston Methodist collaboration), (c) trial details such as Phase II, 125 patients, L‑serine dosing and start dates (Aug 2022), and (d) independent media or institutional confirmation [1] [2] [3]. If those markers are absent, available sources do not confirm that the person referenced is the same clinician‑researcher who led the L‑serine studies (not found in current reporting).
7. Final context: what the sources collectively tell us
The assembled reporting frames Paul Alan Cox as an ethnobotanist turned translational researcher who has shepherded L‑serine from ethnographic and preclinical observation into FDA‑cleared human trials and public advocacy; reporting stresses early safety and limited efficacy signals while also reminding readers that most Alzheimer’s candidates fail later in development [1] [3]. Use the specific institutional and name markers above to distinguish him from other professionals with the same name [1] [2].