See this at: mindbranch.com| Added on 12/13/06

Drug companies stand to lose between $600,000 and $8 million each day clinical trials delay a drug's development and launch. With so many parties involved in clinical development -- study sponsors, CROs, SMOs, patient recruiters, investigators and... See more

Drug companies stand to lose between $600,000 and $8 million each day clinical trials delay a drug's development and launch. With so many parties involved in clinical development -- study sponsors, CROs, SMOs, patient recruiters, investigators and patients -- it is no surprise that trials last 30%-42% longer than expected, on average (depending on development Phase). Process standardization, uniform performance measurement, workflow enhancements, and improved patient recruitment are the keys to enhancing your team's clinical performance and accelerating clinical trial timelines. Accelerating Clinical Trials: Budgets, Patient Recruitment and Productivity explores these important aspects of clinical trial operations. The report draws on input, through surveys and interviews, from executives at 30 top pharmaceutical, biotech, CRO, SMO, and patient recruitment firms. Use the report's real-company budget data, trial activities timelines, performance measures, and detailed case studies to... See less

Highlights: Accelerating Clinical Trials: Budgets, Patient Recruitment & Productivity: Industry Report. Drug companies stand to lose between $600,000 and $8 million each day clinical trials

See this at: cancer.gov| Added on 12/13/06

Health insurance companies and managed care companies decide which health care services they will pay for by developing a coverage policy regarding the specific services. In general, the most important factor determining whether something is covered... See more

Health insurance companies and managed care companies decide which health care services they will pay for by developing a coverage policy regarding the specific services. In general, the most important factor determining whether something is covered is a health plan's judgment as to whether the service is established or investigational. Health plans usually designate a service as established if there is a certain amount of scientific data to show that it is safe and effective. If the health plan does not think that such data exist in sufficient quantity, the plan may label the service as investigational. Health care services delivered within the setting of a clinical trial are very often categorized as investigational and not covered. This is because the health plan thinks that the major reason to perform the clinical trial is that there is not enough data to establish the safety and effectiveness of the service being studied. Thus, for some health plans, any mention of the fact that... See less

See this at: cancer.gov| Added on 12/13/06

Researchers compiled the treatment costs for 932 adult cancer patients who were enrolled between Oct. 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). They then compared these costs with those for 696 cancer... See more

Researchers compiled the treatment costs for 932 adult cancer patients who were enrolled between Oct. 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). They then compared these costs with those for 696 cancer patients who were treated outside of clinical trials. The nonparticipants were similar to the trial participants in terms of the stage of their disease; they would have been eligible to enroll in a trial but for various reasons did not. For each patient, treatment costs were calculated for a period averaging 2.5 years from the date of the individual’s cancer diagnosis. Included were doctor visits, hospital stays, diagnostic tests and procedures, and all drugs given in a doctor’s office, hospital outpatient department, or other treatment settings. Patients’ out-of-pocket costs were included as well as costs reimbursed by third-party payers. Most of the trial participants were enrolled in Phase III treatment trials, which usually involve... See less

See this at: cancer.gov| Added on 12/13/06

Some health insurers, concerned that participation in a clinical trial drives up the cost of cancer care, decline coverage to patients enrolled in cancer trials. However, the results of a study by Thomas N. Chirikos, Ph.D. and others at the H. Lee... See more

Some health insurers, concerned that participation in a clinical trial drives up the cost of cancer care, decline coverage to patients enrolled in cancer trials. However, the results of a study by Thomas N. Chirikos, Ph.D. and others at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, offer no basis for such a policy. The study, which was published in the April 2001 issue of the journal Medical Care, supports findings from previous research showing that cancer patients enrolled in clinical trials incur no significant increase in treatment costs. Participants in cancer treatment trials “do not receive more, nor more expensive, services than similarly situated patients who do not enter trials,” the researchers concluded. The researchers controlled for variables such as age, extent of disease, initial treatment, and ultimate outcome so as to identify cost differences between the in-trial and out-of-trial patients that were due to trial participation alone. See less

See this at: clinicaltrialresults...| Added on 12/12/06

DEScover Registry: First large registry (n=7700) of DES vs BMS published including adjustment for baseline angiographic findings. BMS are put in higher risk pts such as STEMI clouding interpretation of results. Future Trials of DES thrombosis What... See more

DEScover Registry: First large registry (n=7700) of DES vs BMS published including adjustment for baseline angiographic findings. BMS are put in higher risk pts such as STEMI clouding interpretation of results. Future Trials of DES thrombosis What are your patients hearing about the DES controversy on TV? See less

See this at: nature.com| Added on 12/12/06

Database administration. Scaling and rating of raw data and diversity of data types requires dedicated database designers and administrators to manage the flow and storage of information efficiently. Data processing and curation. Processing and... See more

Database administration. Scaling and rating of raw data and diversity of data types requires dedicated database designers and administrators to manage the flow and storage of information efficiently. Data processing and curation. Processing and curation of raw data (especially data derived from genomics) is necessary to link efficiently across other disciplines and allow the data to be accessed easily. Data presentation. Developing mechanisms to view and present the useful data to scientists from a range of disciplines. Data mining. The ultimate aim of informatics is to capture, curate and present the data in a format that will allow scientists to extract value from the underlying information. See less

See this at: nih.gov| Added on 12/09/06

Dr. Harold Slavkin, director of the National Institute of Dental Research, today announced that the NIDR, together with the National Cancer Institute, is stepping up the battle against oral cancer by funding centers for research that will investigate... See more

Dr. Harold Slavkin, director of the National Institute of Dental Research, today announced that the NIDR, together with the National Cancer Institute, is stepping up the battle against oral cancer by funding centers for research that will investigate how oral cancer is triggered and what can be done to reduce its devastating effects. The four center grants, which total $2.8 million this year and will provide additional funds over a 5-year grant period, were awarded to the University of Alabama at Birmingham; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Chicago and Northwestern University; and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. All but the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center grant are co-funded by the National Cancer Institute. The need for the centers is underscored by the fact that survival rates for oral cancer have not improved significantly over the past 30 years. Oral cancer claims the life of one American every hour. Thirty thousand Americans... See less

See this at: genome.gov| Added on 12/06/06

Clinical studies give us a better understanding of how genes can cause or influence diseases. NHGRI researchers are working with patients, and with families with a history of inherited diseases, to learn more about the genetic components of common... See more

Clinical studies give us a better understanding of how genes can cause or influence diseases. NHGRI researchers are working with patients, and with families with a history of inherited diseases, to learn more about the genetic components of common and rare disorders, and to develop new and more effective tests and treatments. Deciding whether to participate in a clinical study is an important and personal process. Some reasons people choose to participate include: * Participants in clinical studies help current and future generations. Through these studies, researchers develop new diagnostic tests, more effective treatments, and better ways of managing diseases with genetic components. * Participants in studies are actively involved in understanding their disorder and current research. * Participants in some studies gain access to new tests and treatments before they are widely available. The following are current clinical studies conducted by NHGRI researchers. For eligibility... See less

See this at: genome.gov| Added on 12/06/06

Investigators in the Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch (GMBB) use molecular genetics techniques to identify and characterize genes involved in the normal development and function of many tissues. They also seek to identify disease-associated gene... See more

Investigators in the Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch (GMBB) use molecular genetics techniques to identify and characterize genes involved in the normal development and function of many tissues. They also seek to identify disease-associated gene alterations and to understand how these genetic defects contribute to a range of human diseases, including anemia, cancer, and immune disorders. To accomplish their goal, they study the genetics of blood cells, cells of the immune system, and epithelial cells. They are particularly interested in the study of stem cells, which have the dual capabilities of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple mature cell lineages. GMBB investigators also use yeast cells as a model system to study genome replication and factors that affect genome stability and aging. By studying how genes normally act and what the consequences are when they are mutated, GMBB investigators are attempting to develop effective treatments for genetic diseases. One... See less