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Murray P. The trachea transplant scandal and "compassionate use". BMJ 2023; 382:1808. [PMID: 37562813 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.p1808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
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Osorio-Toro LM, Bonilla-Bonilla DM, Daza-Arana JE, Aristizábal JC, Ávila-Valencia JC, Ramírez-Marmolejo R. Prevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies and Associated Factors Among Health Care Workers in Santiago De Cali, Colombia. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:697-705. [PMID: 36866168 PMCID: PMC9970879 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s396357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to determine the seroprevalence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among health care workers and describe the associated sociodemographic and labor features. Patients and Methods An observational study with an analytical component was conducted at a clinic in Cali, Colombia. The sample size was 708 health workers and they were selected by stratified random sampling. A Bayesian analysis was developed to determine the raw and adjusted prevalence. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate the prevalence ratios. Results Overall seroprevalence of COVID-19 among healthcare workers was 29%. Miscellaneous services workers, healthcare, and administrative workers, was 38%, 33%, and 32%, respectively. Factors related to seropositivity were having a contact with a COVID-19 patient for >120 minutes and being diagnosed with COVID-19 by laboratory tests. Conclusion The present study shows a adjusted seroprevalence of 29% in health workers, indicating a high level of disease transmission and an increased risk of infection in this population group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Miguel Osorio-Toro
- Internal Medicine Specialization Program, Department of Health, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia,Genetics, Physiology, and Metabolism Research Group, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia,Department of Research and Education, Clínica de Occidente SA, Santiago de Cali, Colombia
| | - Diana Marcela Bonilla-Bonilla
- Internal Medicine Specialization Program, Department of Health, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia,Genetics, Physiology, and Metabolism Research Group, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia,Department of Research and Education, Clínica de Occidente SA, Santiago de Cali, Colombia
| | - Jorge Enrique Daza-Arana
- Internal Medicine Specialization Program, Department of Health, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia,Health and Movement Research Group, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia,Correspondence: Jorge Enrique Daza-Arana, Specialization Program in Internal Medicine, Department of Health, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Calle 5 # 62-00, Santiago de Cali, Colombia, Tel +57 3108923676, Email
| | | | - Juan Carlos Ávila-Valencia
- Department of Research and Education, Clínica de Occidente SA, Santiago de Cali, Colombia,Health and Movement Research Group, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia
| | - Roberto Ramírez-Marmolejo
- Internal Medicine Specialization Program, Department of Health, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Santiago de CaliColombia
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AlHamaly MA, Alzoubi KH, Khabour OF, Jaber RA, Aldelaimy WK. Review of Clinical Equipoise: Examples from Oncology Trials. Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol 2023; 18:22-30. [PMID: 34939559 PMCID: PMC9992762 DOI: 10.2174/2772432817666211221164101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current standards that govern clinical research have been shaped over the years through many historical, social, and political events. The third principle of the Belmont Report, Justice, guides the scientific community toward the equal distribution of benefits and risks in research involving human subjects. Clinical equipoise is the status of genuine uncertainty by the investigator about the superiority of one treatment arm over the other. The term clinical equipoise was proposed to provide an ethical ground to conduct randomized controlled clinical trials. OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to provide the reader with an overview of the emergence of the term equipoise and its utilization in randomized controlled trials. METHODS In the current review article, the major oncology clinical trials and relevant patents were reviewed for the application/utilization of clinical equipoise. RESULTS The concept of clinical equipoise has been challenged, and different alternatives were proposed. Yet, these alternatives received numerous critiques and failed to fully replace equipoise. In addition, several patents related to anticancer agents tested in the described studies were examined. No specific reference was made as part of the patent to the status of clinical equipoise. Alternatively, a description of the study arms was provided. CONCLUSION There is a need for revisiting the concept of equipoise and its suggested alternatives for its ethical essence while addressing related challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majd A. AlHamaly
- College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Clinical Research and Development, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Amman, Jordan
- Address correspondence to this author at the College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Clinical Research and Development, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Amman, Jordan; Tel: +962 (6)580 2960; Fax: +962 6 5802962; ;
| | - Karem H. Alzoubi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Omar F. Khabour
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Ruba A. Jaber
- Department of Clinical Research and Development, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Amman, Jordan
| | - Wael K. Aldelaimy
- School of Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Fu W, Luo Z, Wang J, Cao CR, Shu CM. Experimental study of the influence of coal mine noise on miners. J Loss Prev Process Ind 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jlp.2022.104926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Borysowski J, Górski A. Ethics framework for treatment use of investigational drugs. BMC Med Ethics 2020; 21:116. [PMID: 33208140 PMCID: PMC7672838 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-020-00560-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expanded access is the use of investigational drugs (IDs) outside of clinical trials. Generally it is performed in patients with serious and life-threatening diseases who cannot be treated satisfactorily with authorized drugs. Legal regulations of expanded access to IDs have been introduced among others in the USA, the European Union (EU), Canada and Australia. In addition, in the USA an alternative to expanded access is treatment under the Right-to-Try law. However, the treatment use of IDs is inherently associated with a number of ethically relevant problems. MAIN TEXT The objective of this article is to present a coherent framework made up of eight requirements which have to be met for any treatment use of an ID to be ethical. These include a justified need for the use of an ID, no threat to clinical development of the ID, adequate scientific evidence to support the treatment, patient's benefit as the primary goal of the use of an ID, informed decision of a patient, fair access of patients to IDs, independent review, as well as the dissemination of treatment results. CONCLUSIONS While this framework is essentially consistent with the legal regulations of expanded access of the USA, the EU, Canada and Australia, it is substantially wider in scope because it addresses some important issues that are not covered by the regulations. Overall, the framework that we developed minimizes the risks and threats, and maximizes potential benefits to each of the four key stakeholders involved in the treatment use of IDs including patients, doctors, drug manufacturers, and society at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Borysowski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Str. 59, 02-006, Warsaw, Poland.
- Centre for Studies on Research Integrity, Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Nowy Świat 72, 00-330, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Laboratory of Bacteriophages, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Str. 12, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
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Lan Y, Lou J, Hu J, Yu Z, Lyu W, Zhang B. Downregulation of SNRPG induces cell cycle arrest and sensitizes human glioblastoma cells to temozolomide by targeting Myc through a p53-dependent signaling pathway. Cancer Biol Med 2020; 17:112-131. [PMID: 32296580 PMCID: PMC7142844 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2019.0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Temozolomide (TMZ) is commonly used for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) chemotherapy. However, drug resistance limits its therapeutic effect in GBM treatment. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have vital roles in posttranscriptional events. While disturbance of RBP-RNA network activity is potentially associated with cancer development, the precise mechanisms are not fully known. The SNRPG gene, encoding small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide G, was recently found to be related to cancer incidence, but its exact function has yet to be elucidated. Methods:SNRPG knockdown was achieved via short hairpin RNAs. Gene expression profiling and Western blot analyses were used to identify potential glioma cell growth signaling pathways affected by SNRPG. Xenograft tumors were examined to determine the carcinogenic effects of SNRPG on glioma tissues. Results: The SNRPG-mediated inhibitory effect on glioma cells might be due to the targeted prevention of Myc and p53. In addition, the effects of SNRPG loss on p53 levels and cell cycle progression were found to be Myc-dependent. Furthermore, SNRPG was increased in TMZ-resistant GBM cells, and downregulation of SNRPG potentially sensitized resistant cells to TMZ, suggesting that SNRPG deficiency decreases the chemoresistance of GBM cells to TMZ via the p53 signaling pathway. Our data confirmed that SNRPG suppression sensitizes GBM cells to TMZ by targeting Myc via the p53 signaling cascade. Conclusions: These results indicated that SNRPG is a probable molecular target of GBM and suggested that suppressing SNRPG in resistant GBM cells might be a substantially beneficial method for overcoming essential drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jiacheng Lou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jiliang Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Zhikuan Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Wen Lyu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, China
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Borysowski J, Górski A. Compassionate use of unauthorized drugs: Legal regulations and ethical challenges. Eur J Intern Med 2019; 65:12-16. [PMID: 31036436 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Compassionate use (also referred to as expanded access) is therapeutic use of unauthorized drugs outside of clinical trials. The objective of this review is to discuss practical aspects of the current legal regulations concerning compassionate use that have been introduced in the European Union, the USA (both the Food and Drug Administration regulations and Right-to-try laws), Canada and Australia. We also present main ethical challenges associated with use of unauthorized drugs such as possible difficulties with obtaining informed consent and fair patient selection. Moreover, we discuss guidelines, especially those contained in the Declaration of Helsinki, which may aid doctors in the ethical conduct of compassionate treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Borysowski
- Centre for Studies on Research Integrity, Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Nowy Świat 72, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Str. 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Str. 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland; Laboratory of Bacteriophages, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla Str. 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
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Borysowski J, Ehni HJ, Górski A. Ethics codes and use of new and innovative drugs. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2019; 85:501-507. [PMID: 30536603 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment with new and/or innovative drugs with uncertain safety and efficacy profile is associated with substantial ethical concerns. The main objective of this paper is to present guidance on the use of such drugs contained in: (i) major international codes and guidelines pertaining to medical ethics and biomedical research; (ii) national codes of medical ethics and professional conduct of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, France and Germany. Out of the four international codes and guidelines analysed, only the Declaration of Helsinki addresses the question of the use of unproven drugs. Among national codes, only two (USA and New Zealand) explicitly allow for use of new or innovative drugs. Moreover, treatment with unproven drugs seems to be permissible under the French code, though this is not stated explicitly. The remaining codes do not contain any articles on the use of new and innovative drugs. An update of existing articles, as well as the addition of new guidelines to the codes, should be considered in view of the rapid pace of development and introduction to clinical practice of new drugs. This work is relevant to innovative off-label applications of approved drugs and expanded access to investigational drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Borysowski
- Centre for Studies on Research Integrity, Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hans-Jörg Ehni
- Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine, Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.,Laboratory of Bacteriophages, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
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Ethics in clinical research: Contributions of the new version of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences guidelines. Med Clin (Barc) 2018; 150:282-285. [PMID: 28867337 DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2017.06.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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