A small California paper has an interesting story about patient recruitment. There’s not much new here for industry insiders. Doctors are quoted bemoaning the shortage of patients eligible and willing to participate in clinical trials. One new twist is that the physicians interviewed are complaining about HIPAA, the federal privacy…more...

Clinical Data announced it will provide genomic testing services to the pain research community based on Algynomics’ proprietary panel of genetic markers. This panel is designed to examine the genetic basis or underpinnings of human pain sensitivity, pain conditions, and responses to existing and new pharmacological agents used to treat…more...

Wire service reports suggest Germany’s SAP, locked in a battle with Oracle over domination of the corporate enterprise, is negotiating to acquire a stake in Aris Global. That American company, based in Connecticut, is declining to comment. There are no indications of the likelihood or price for the acquisition at…more...

The Cleveland Clinic picked Steven Nissen to be interim head of cardiovascular medicine, anointing formal replacement for Eric Topol, a vehement critic of the pharmaceutical industry. (Topol is leaving the Cleveland Clinic for its crosstown rival, Case Western University.) Nissen is unlikely to view the industry through rose-colored glasses: he…more...

Johnson & Johnson finally started a Phase IV clinical trial for Natrecor, a product acquired when Scious was purchased by JNJ in 2003. The Duke Clinical Research Institute will run the trial, which will have 7,000 patients, and manage the global recruitment of other investigative sites. Once expected to be…more...

OmniComm Systems, out of Florida, signed up a customer in Mountain View, California. Broncus Technologies will use OmniComm’s systems for both electronic data capture (EDC) and clinical trial management (CTM). “With TrialMaster, we have the ability to practically eliminate the data visibility gap that occurs with paper-based trials. Utilizing the…more...

XClinical of Germany, developer of the Marvin system for electronic data capture (EDC), is working on a 6-year colon cancer trial. The technology was chosen by Signature Diagnostics, which develops lab tests. Philippe Verplancke, XClinical’s CEO points out: “Two particular factors make Marvin ideal for this cancer trial: long term…more...

Australian officials are considering a new physician role in clinical trials. The goal is to avoid the TeGenero debacle in London. Australians will have certain physicians coordinate patient care. The pilot program starts on January 20, 2007 and appears to be a way for primary care physicians to dip their…more...

After the FDA took the unusual step of seizing 1,300 Alaris SE infusion pumps manufactured by Cardinal Health, the company shut down its factory line. The company says 140,000 of the devices are on the market but pose no serious threats to patients. The company and the FDA agree the…more...

Oracle bought the intellectual property assets of Sigma Dynamics Inc. Oracle said San Mateo-based Sigma developed real-time predictive analytics technology. No details about the transaction were disclosed. But Oracle did say that Sigma Dynamics has been the underpinnings of the Siebel Real-Time Decisions product, which Oracle recently acquired in a…more...