This article briefly introduces the management of clinical trials of investigational new drugs, hospital-made preparations, post-marketing drugs and other types of clinical trials. The WHO International Clinical Trial Register Platform (WHO ICTRP), Chinese Clinical Trial Register (ChiCTR) and Chinese Clinical Trial Registration and Publishing Collaboration (ChiCTRPC) are also described. People conducting trials are advised to apply the basic philosophy of evidence-based medicine in their implementation, which is considered to be one of the guarantees of the validity of clinical trials.
In phase II clinical trial of Compound Prescription of Huangyaozi (Dioscorea bulbifera L.), 7 cases out of 37 developed (18.92%) impairment of liver function. As a result, the ethic committee required researchers to report all data of safety of the drug and have all subjects rechecked about their liver function so as to provided reasonable evidence for the scientifical evaluation of the relationship between the drug and the adverse event and the succedent suspending of the clinical trial.
目前临床研究协调员（CRC）在完成高质量的临床试验中所扮演的角色越来越受到国内药物临床试验机构及药物申办者的广泛关注。作为临床试验过程中重要的一员，CRC承担着协调及管理临床试验项目的任务，具有“项目管理助手、后勤保障支持”的特点。四川大学华西医院国家药物临床试验机构在中医专业新药临床试验过程中，尝试配备CRC并在实际工作中取得了一定成效，同时也积累了实践经验。现就该机构中医专业新药临床试验过程中，CRC的运行机制和具体工作职责进行简要介绍，为各药物临床试验机构的建设和管理、药物临床试验的质量和整体水平的提高提供参考。
Objectives To discuss the methodology of evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) placebo simulation effects and the problems of blind implementation and so as to improve the quality of double-blind clinical trials of TCM. Methods Focusing on case of placebo preparation of TCM investigational new drug, simulation effects of the placebo were evaluated in terms of shape, color, taste and smell. The possibility of placebo be a drug and the similarity between placebo and drug were tested. Results There was no significant difference between placebo and investigational new drug to be judged as a drug (P>0.05). As for the similarity between placebo and drug, there was no significantly difference of the shape (P>0.05), for which the similarity was 100%. The color, taste and smell were significant different between placebo and drug (P<0.05), for which the similarity were 50%, 10% and 15% respectively. Conclusions It is very difficult to simulate TCM based on its certain color, taste or smell. Therefore, the subjects and the investigators’ compliance should be kept to avoid breaking the blind intentionally in the process of the trial and the influence of unblinding should be estimated at the end of the trial.
Establishing and improving the quality control system of drug clinical trial institutions is the key to ensure the quality of clinical trial. In recent years, the number of drug clinical trial has been continuously improved, and the quality control requirements have been continuously improved. However, in clinical work, the workload of medical staff is heavy, and the energy devoted to clinical trial is limited. Clinical research coordinator (CRC), as a participant and coordinator of clinical trial, has carried out transactional work related to non-medical judgment under the authorization and guidance of researchers, and has undertaken any specific work in clinical trial. Based on the quality control management experience of nosocomial CRC and hospital drug clinical trial institutions in West China Hospital of Sichuan University, this paper discusses the mode of nosocomial CRC participating in clinical trial quality control. By participating in the quality control of clinical trial, the nosocomial CRC has improved the quality control efficiency, enriched the quality control team and improved the overall level of CRC. This model enriches the quality control system of drug clinical trial.
The umbrella trial has received increasing attention in the design of clinical trials for oncology drugs in recent years. This trial design categorizes a single disease into multiple sub-types based on predictive biomarkers or other predictive factors, and simultaneously evaluates the efficacy of multiple targeted therapies. When compared with the traditional drug development model of phase Ⅰ, phaseⅡ, and phase Ⅲ randomized controlled trials, umbrella trials are a more scientifically rigorous trial design that can speed up drug evaluation to address the conflict between numerous untested drugs and diseases with a lack of effective treatment options. This article will focus on the concept, main characteristics, eligibility criteria, design and statistical considerations, ethical considerations, and future directions of umbrella trials, with the aim of providing methodological guidance for the design of clinical trials for oncology drugs.