p-Ed Contributor Clinical Trials Wrapped in Red Tape
The News Review:
- p-Ed Contributor Clinical Trials Wrapped in Red Tape
- Insurance reform could improve access to care
- Nicholas Vogelzang MD Joins US ncology Research Network via …
- Chemical shortage hits hospitals research
p-Ed Contributor Clinical Trials Wrapped in Red Tape
New York Times
Stanford University researchers have estimated that it cost them about $56000 in administrative wages 18 months of delay and 10000 pages of paper to make a small change to an already-approved research program that simply compared the progress made by patients attending different types of addiction-treatment programs. The lengthy approval process cuts into scientific productivity. David Dilts the director of clinical research at the Knight Cancer Institute in regon found that 30 percent of all board-approved oncology trials are eventually abandoned. To circumvent overbearing federal boards researchers occasionally turn to for-profit independent review boards to approve their studies. These boards cost less and work quickly but some have dangerously lax standards. This spring the Government Accountability ffice announced that it had submitted a fabricated study of a fake surgical adhesive gel called Adhesiabloc to an independent review board which approved the protocol by unanimous vote saying the “gel is probably very safe. ” Even if a study gets approval from an institutional review board it’s not clear that the subjects are all that protected.
Insurance reform could improve access to care
Houston Chronicle
Insurance companies should not be required to subsidize clinical research; however health plans should provide coverage for routine care for patients enrolled in clinical trials. Routine care coverage is what would be provided to the patient regardless of participation in a trial which 26 states and Medicare already require. Working through the details of a program like this would be healthy for America cost-effective for U. consumers and would reduce the noninsured in this country markedly without expanding Medicare or other government programs.
Related from Fathernickthomas: Health-care reform for kids
Nicholas Vogelzang MD Joins US ncology Research Network via …
PR Newswire (press release)
Vogelzang to the long line of prestigious cancer researchers working in the US ncology Research network” says Steve Smith vice president of US ncology Research. “His talents will allow us to assess clinical trials in a variety of cancers rarely seen in the network in prior years. ” “US ncology Research has developed a strong reputation for doing excellent clinical research on a national level. The addition of Dr. Vogelzang who is well known for his work in GU malignancies and drug development only strengthens our ability to perform at a very high level” says Stephen Jones M. medical director of the US ncology Research network “We are excited about him joining the network.
Chemical shortage hits hospitals research
WHYY
Chaitanya Divgi is chief of nuclear medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He says research using technetium has decreased this year. Divgi: In clinical research the ability to do bone scans to follow patients’ treatment courses has been impacted. And the ability to do brain scans with technetium has been impacted…Sometimes when protocols have already begun in clinical research and you’re midway through and then you find that one of the tests you’re using for evaluation of your therapeutic agent may not be available it’s a blow. Doctors can use other methods such as cat scans or pet scans to substitute for technetium. But Divgi says developing countries where technetium is the primary diagnostic tool might not be able to make the switch.
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