Clinical Trials System Evaluation and IOM Workshop Summary

In the Sunday, July 14, New York Times, Clifton Leaf offered a critical evaluation of clinical trials.  In letters to the editor published in the Times on July 18, 2013, several writers rebutted Leaf and defended the clinical trials enterprise.  John LaMattina writes in Forbes that Leaf has resorted to negativism in his review of the clinical trials system.

On July 15, 2013, the Institute of Medicine released a workshop summary, “Implementing a National Cancer Clinical Trials System for the 21st Century – Second Workshop Summary.”  The workshop recommended these actions: 1) improve the speed and efficiency of the design, launch, and conduct of clinical trials, 2) incorporate innovative science and trial design into cancer clinical trials, 3) improve the means of prioritization, selection, support, and completion of cancer clinical trials, and 4) incentivize the participate of patients and physicians in clinical trials.