RSO Newsletter December 2005

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO OFFER INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL RESEARCH FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.  This course, which also serves as Module 1 of the AHC Certificate Program for training clinical research coordinators and faculty ( www.ahc.umn.edu/research/rso/information/training/clinicaltraining/), will be offered in Spring 2006 as PubH 6305 (formerly PubH 5550, class #56804; 2 credits; Monday, 11:15-1:10, Mayo 1250). The syllabus from Spring 2005 can be viewed at http://www.epi.umn.edu/academic/pdf/s05_5550.pdf as an example (note the class dates and classroom may be different). Contact Kathryn Schwartz (schwartz@epi.umn.edu) for course details and specific details about registration and enrolling as Regent’s Scholar.

GHOST WRITERS AND MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS.  Last Tuesday's Wall Street Journal exposed the abhorrent practice of having medical writers hired by pharmaceutical companies write a manuscript and subsequently find a physician to submit the manuscript for publication under his/her own name. The article, "At Medical Journals, Writers Paid by Industry Play Big Role", focused mostly on editorial pieces and review articles, but this phenomenon has even occurred for reports of clinical trials. Investigators have a responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their reports and it is not possible for a medical writer to substitute for an investigator in this role. An acceptable alternative is for the investigators to completely write their own manuscript and then allow a professional medical editor to make grammatical and stylistic suggestions. The role of a medical writer should be revealed to the editors of the journal to which any such manuscript is submitted for publication.

FAIRVIEW ANNOUNCES NEW INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG SERVICE (IDS) RATES.  Effective 12/12/05, Fairview will increase prices for IDS services. Price quotes prior to 12/12/05 will be honored with the addition of up to10% inflation for each calendar year. Existing studies continue to use current pricing with the addition of up to 10% inflation each calendar year. Questions should be addressed to Adrienne Baranauskas, BSN, RN (612-672-4954) or Darlette Luke, RPh (612-273-6212).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. All of us at the RSO wish you a safe and happy holiday season. Happy New Year!

Research Services Organization
Academic Health Center
University of Minnesota

Website http://www.ahc.umn.edu/rso/
e-mail  rso@umn.edu
Phone  612.625.4171
Fax  612.625.3956