Clinical Research Digest - March 21

Why do we call it a vaccine?

The news and everyone’s thoughts are full of talk about the vaccine.  But why do we call it a vaccine?  Here’s the story of an 18th century country doctor and a cow called Blossom (Business of Discovery, February 28, 2021).  Linked here.

Latest podcasts

The second series of NIHR/HRA podcasts on Innovative Clinical Trials has been launched, and here are the first four 4 in the series (Health Research Futures, February 2021).

-       Emma Lowe, Dept of Health and Social Care - linked here

-       Yan Yiannoakou, Clinical Director, Newcastle - linked here

-       Kirsty Wydenbach, MHRA - linked here

-       Pam Kearns, Director of Cancer Research UK CTU, University of Birmingham - linked here

Recruitment to clinical care trials

This is an interesting short article about a project carried out by an intercalated medical student looking at which strategies might be best (Cardiff University, February 3, 2021). Linked here.

The use of race in medical research

The usefulness or otherwise, and the harm or otherwise of considering race in research (JAMA, January 25, 2020). Linked here.

Peer review­–end of the road?

In this article, former editor of the BMJ, Richard Smith, argues that the time has come for per reviewers to rebel (Richard Smith, February 2, 2020). Linked here.

So much for evidence-based practice

A useful discussion of the divergence from tested vaccination regimens without scientific evidence (Nature, February 4, 2021). Linked here.

Reference Safety Information for clinical trials

More from the MHRA GCP Inspectorate on Reference Safety Information (MHRA, February 5, 2021). Linked here.

Can training improve diversity in clinical research?

This short article asks whether cultural safety training can improve under-representation in clinical trials (Couch, January 25, 2021). Linked here.

Lone geniuses and breakthroughs

An important reminder that teamwork is at the heart of all good research (UKRI, February 4, 2021). Linked here.

First human challenge studies greenlit

The world's first human challenge trials in COVID-19 are to start in UK (BBC, February 17, 2020). Linked here.

Will those doing COVID research share their data?

This study looks at the data sharing intentions of interventional COVID-19 trials as declared in trial registrations and publications (Trials, February 18, 2021).

https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-021-05104-z

What does the pandemic mean for wider clinical research?

This editorial looks at the challenges to research in the US and focusses on lessons learned here in the UK (JAMA, February 26, 2021). Linked here.

Risk-based monitoring of clinical trials

This review looks at various models of risk-based assessment and makes recommendations for how the evidence-base supporting these methods could be improved (Clinical Trials, February 20, 2021). Linked here. 

And finally...

International Day of Girls and Women in Science

One of the many examples of posts and articles highlighting the importance of this day (Manchester University NHSFT, February 11, 2021). Linked here. 

The trouble with equipoise

In the context of COVID-19 vaccine research, this letter from The Lancet reminds us of some of the challenges (Lancet, February 1, 2021). Linked here.