Is it me or does anyone else think that No 10 could have perhaps chosen more wisely its choice of title for the new army of individuals who David Cameron says will help 'trouble' families: 'troubleshooters' doesn't sound quite right? This only a week after No 10 made a complete hash of the 24 hours … Continue reading Obama goes troubleshooting on clinical trials
clinical trials
In defence of the clinical trial patient: a health research ombudsman?
Over a half a million members of the British public took part in clinical trials through the NIHR Clinical Trials Research Networks in 2010, a 24% increase on the year before. Those are the Government's figures, not mine. Last week's 'life sciences' announcement included a range of measures to increase patient recruitment to trials. These include … Continue reading In defence of the clinical trial patient: a health research ombudsman?
Free new UK clinical trials search phone app available
The UK Clinical Trials Gateway has just launched a mobile phone app enabling you to search for information on clinical trials. You can download it through the Apple Store by typing 'UK Clinical Trials Gateway' into the search field. Otherwise appgrabber has it for download here. And its free. Not yet available as a full … Continue reading Free new UK clinical trials search phone app available
Patients, ethics committees and clinical research – NRES/INVOLVE report highlights ‘public’ challenge for new health research regulator (HRA)
Sometimes you are just defeated by the brilliance of others. So, if you are looking for a wonderful summary of what the autumn statement means for health research, then I can highly recommend Becky's Policy Pages. Clearly, the opening up of health data is the single most important strategic announcement in today's statement - much … Continue reading Patients, ethics committees and clinical research – NRES/INVOLVE report highlights ‘public’ challenge for new health research regulator (HRA)
Why Georgia is an example to us all on clinical trials
This is a piece I spotted in the local press in Wirral about schoolgirl, Georgia Semple, who is a member of the Young People's Advisory Group for the NIHR Medicines for Children Research Network (MCRN). The Group helps with the design of clinical research - from conveying their views and concerns to researchers, to writing … Continue reading Why Georgia is an example to us all on clinical trials
International leaders in cancer research in conversation and a new Channel 4 video on clinical trials
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has a rather nifty web-page at the moment with various leading lights in cancer research talking about cancer therapeutics. They include Bob Brown, chair, translational oncology, Imperial College London. And hear is a rather nifty video explaining drug trials done by Channel 4. Just click on the picture … Continue reading International leaders in cancer research in conversation and a new Channel 4 video on clinical trials
You cluster if you want to…the single most important translational gap in UK clinical research today
A colleague of mine put up two slides at a meeting today which neatly encapsulated for me the key strategic - perhaps translational gap - in uk clinical research right now. On the demand side, the first showed the key results from the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) commissioned MORI poll of public attitudes … Continue reading You cluster if you want to…the single most important translational gap in UK clinical research today
Promoting clinical trial participation
This coming week I am speaking at The Prostate Cancer Charity's national conference. 20 minutes on public engagement including questions and answers. My first call to action to the audience is likely to be about encouraging patient participation in clinical trials. Compared to five or even one year ago there now seems a great deal … Continue reading Promoting clinical trial participation
From peer review to clinical trials
So there I was this morning talking about peer review, when what should come through the Ovarian Cancer Action letterbox but our certificate of best practice from the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) for our peer reivew practices. It's great to have this 'quality-mark' for all that we do as a research funder. If … Continue reading From peer review to clinical trials
Clinical trials round-up
Several articles today look at the expansion in the number of clinical trials taking place around the world. The Guardain - prompted by a report published at the World Conference of Science Journalists - looks at the ethical issues arising out of the increasing number of trials in the developing world. This article in Pharma … Continue reading Clinical trials round-up
Exortic science goes kryptonite, perhaps
Today's headline is taken from the menu for my Indian take away last night which talked of 'exortic sauces.' A spelling mistake it might be but I was rather taken with the idea of my curry sauce exorting me to savour its spices. In a similar fashion do I feel the desire to devour all … Continue reading Exortic science goes kryptonite, perhaps
‘Scroll down’ for clinical trials
To begin with, here's more on that Pfizer story about use of mobile phone technology etc in clinical trials. It seems to have piqued an interest among many of you anyway. Also on the subject of clinical trials, I was rather perplexed by this story running out of the NHS Confederation this morning. I'm delighted … Continue reading ‘Scroll down’ for clinical trials
International clinical trials day and a bit of mopping-up
It is International Clinical Trials Day today and The Cochrane Library has worked with the UK Medical Research Council's Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research to produce a set of new podcasts about clinical trials - well worth a listen. There was a conference in Vienna this morning organised by the European Clinical Research … Continue reading International clinical trials day and a bit of mopping-up
Avoiding the X-factor in using social media for health research
Some of you may have picked up on this interesting study published by Nature Biotechnology and reported by the Wall Street Journal (headline: 'ALS study shows calue of social media as a research tool'). In what the Wall Street Journal describes as an early example of the role that social media might play in clinical trials, … Continue reading Avoiding the X-factor in using social media for health research
Clinical trials on the world stage
I shall no doubt wax lyrical about something later in the day but for the moment, given that it is Friday, I would highly recommend this article/special report by Ben Hirschler of Reuters on the challenges and opportunities inherent in the globalisation of clinical trials. And while I am at it, special mention of the … Continue reading Clinical trials on the world stage
Are you researchy?
The NHS Future Forum - the recently announced exercise by the Department of Health to get the NHS reforms back on track - has today published a list of its members. Further names are likely to be added it seems. It includes a few 'researchy' people as we tend to call them here in the office … Continue reading Are you researchy?
Budget reaction
UPDATE & FURTHER COMMENT There's a very helpful bullet point summary of the budget measures concerning health research on NIHR's website. Having only just landed in the office after an afternoon following developments while in and out of meetings, I would add the following to my comment earlier today: 'Credit where credit is due. After … Continue reading Budget reaction
Second Reading of the Health and Social Care Bill: An open letter to MPs
Dear Member of Parliament, This afternoon the Health and Social Care Bill will recieve its Second Reading in the House of Commons. The legislation sets out a far-reaching programme for reforming the NHS and the provision of patient care. The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and its 127 member charities believe that high quality … Continue reading Second Reading of the Health and Social Care Bill: An open letter to MPs
Health and social care reforms on trial
What better starting point for today's blog than the comments of two leading clinicians speaking about the importance of clinical trials to patient outcomes. First, Dr Duncan Wheatley, a Clinical Oncologist and Lead for Research in the South West Peninsula, who is quoted in a BBC Cornwall story today about medical research at the Royal … Continue reading Health and social care reforms on trial
More NHS patients participating in UK clinical trials than ever before
A piece of good news with which to begin the New Year. PharmaTimes is reporting that the number of patients participating in clinical trials jumped by 67% last year to over half a million (compared to over 300,000 in 2009). The new CEO of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network Co-ordinating Centre (NIHR … Continue reading More NHS patients participating in UK clinical trials than ever before
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