| BIAS ALERT: I am constitutionally biased against Clinical Research Organizations and the ACRO as they currently exist. I don’t trust recruited patient data. I’m suspicious of the big push for globalization. And I think their association with medical writing firms and advertising is beyond suspicious. I’m sure that my reaction has to do with some of the lousy research we’ve experienced in Psychiatry, and that may reflect more on the researchers and the sponsors than the CROs. But my reaction is visceral [and therefore suspect as well]. My only reason for mentioning this article is the lines marked in red. |
For some reason, there is a newfound fascination with clinical trials among TV producers. Of course they’ve sensationalized clinical trials by playing to the lowest common denominator, and disparaging all clinical trial participants as "guinea pigs" and "test monkeys." Terms we absolutely reject at the Association of Clinical Research Organizations [ACRO]. What some have left out of their narrative about clinical trials is that they’re highly regulated, well-controlled, professionally managed scientific investigations that are absolutely essential to developing new lifesaving drugs and therapies for patients. But you wouldn’t know it from watching your TV. People who participate in clinical trials deserve more respect because without these medical heroes, there would be no new medicines. Patients who enroll into a clinical trial do so with the careful coordination of their doctor, with an understanding of the potential risks and benefits, and with the knowledge that they may not be helped, but that future patients will…Less than four percent of the American population participates in a clinical trial and that number is far too low if we’re to make great medical strides this century like finding a cure to Alzheimer’s or AIDS or cancer. But most importantly, people need to understand the risk and rewards of participating in clinical trials and enter them with the knowledge that even if they do not benefit they are making a contribution to science that may impact patients around the world…
Unfortunately, those in a position to do so much good choose to instead take lightly the process that could help solve some of the greatest global public health challenges. The American public needs to know that without clinical trials, there would be no new treatments for people suffering from disease.
macdonalds used to post their count of hamburgers sold on the golden arches outside their stores
the last reference to a macdonald’s official count that i could find searching was as of april 2010 there were “247 billion sold”
big pharma and its clinical trials industry pursue the wall street business growth mantra ….more is better…..information technology has made it feasible to grow the number of clinical trials globally…
They’re having trouble re-using the 12 million in clinical trials — exposure to too many drugs. They need new meat.