The Clinical Trials Landscape: Limitations, Strengths, and Promise By Elaine Rubin, Danielle Lazar, Nick Gaich, and David HarayUNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE
The complex infrastructure that creates and sustains clinical trials in the U.S., specifically the systems established within the nation’s academic health centers to conduct and implement clinical trials in response to patient needs, scientific demands, and national concerns, is little noted and rarely studied. Clinical trials are clearly recognized as a significant component of America’s research enterprise and a critical element of America’s preeminence in science worldwide. These trials, research studies carried out with human volunteers to answer specific questions concerning the effectiveness of a drug, device, treatment or diagnostic method, are designed to advance scientific knowledge and promote discoveries to treat and cure illness and disease, and increase longevity and the quality of life for countless people.