Common Science

As an academic working within a research institute there are often talks by various high profile individuals (many of whom I should probably be writing about!), however this week's lecturer within a seminar series revolving around bench-to-bedsite 'translational' medicine was given by Ben Goldacre. Ben's latest campaign has been for the release of clinical trials data. Especially from trials where an end point hasn't been reached, i.e. letting negative trial data see the light of day. In fact it's not actually the public that really matter regarding this disclosure, rather the clinicians running new trials, often using novel drugs with similar modes-of-action and pharmacokinetics to those in previous failed trials. This openness has the ability to not only save a lot of time and money but importantly reduce the risk to those brave enough to partake in phase 1 clinical studies. TGN1412 Trial  An incredibly grim example Ben provided was for the much publi...