Research Reform
Posted 1/16/2012
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We all need to be interested in and very supportive of clinical research. Every one of us has directly benefitted from clinical trials and the willingness of women to participate. We stand on their shoulders. This is a very interesting editorial from the Journal of Clinical Oncology about ASCO's recommendations for the future of clinical research. I give you the beginning and then a link:
The American Society of Clinical Oncology's Blueprint for Transforming Clinical and Translational Cancer Research
Neal J. Meropol, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Mark G. Kris, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY Eric P. Winer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
In November 2011, the American Society of Clinical On- cology (ASCO) released a report that articulates the society's vision for a clinical and translational cancer research system. The re- port, Accelerating Progress Against Cancer: ASCO's Blueprint for Transforming Clinical and Translational Cancer Research,1 de- scribes how we can improve our research system by taking full advan- tage of today's scientific and technological opportunities. Using a 5- to 10-year horizon, the report describes how bold action today can result in transformative advances in cancer prevention and treatment.
ASCO recognizes that research progress requires strong public support. Because of the need to collaborate with people and organiza- tions outside the ASCO membership and in extended clinical and scientific communities, ASCO crafted this report for a broader audi- ence. The report aims to inform and inspire policy makers, patient advocates, and the media. In doing so, we hope to strengthen the partnerships necessary to achieve our vision. The report is freely ac- cessible on ASCO's website,1 and the society has released information on Cancer.Net (ASCO's resource for people living with cancer and those who care for them).
The blueprint focuses on three areas that are critical for moving our research agenda forward. First, we have a detailed understanding of many of the molecular processes that characterize cancers, yet we often do not understand which processes drive tumors and how best to measure the impact of pharmacologic perturbation of these pro- cesses. Moving forward, we need to prioritize targets for therapeutic development, identify and validate biomarkers early in drug develop- ment, and overcome legal, financial, and regulatory barriers in the pursuit of the most promising clinical applications.
http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/early/2012/01/03/JCO.2011.40.1125.full.pdf
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