June 22, 2007

Featured CTSA Committee Update

The CTSA Clinical Research Ethics Working Group is dedicated to providing a national forum for CTSA investigators and NIH scientists to facilitate collaborative studies, develop best consultation practices, exchange educational materials, and identify and address clinical translational research ethics issues within and across CTSA sites.

The CTSA Clinical Research Ethics Working Group held its first face-to-face meeting on February 26, 2007. Jason Karlawish was appointed acting Chair. During the meeting, working group members discussed and selected priorities. Members volunteered to serve as members of smaller working groups related to these priorities. The smaller working groups subsequently met in telephone conferences to establish and refine their goals and to begin to develop action plans. At the CTSA Consortium monthly call on May 18, 2007, Dr. Karlawish presented the working group’s mission statement and reported on the group’s activities for review and comment.

Subsequently, the Clinical Research Ethics Working Group nominated and elected Dr. Paul Appelbaum as Chair.

Priorities for the Clinical Research Ethics Working Group include:

  • Continued development of action plans through established working groups, including:
    • Collaborative studies
    • Best practices in clinical research ethics consultation
    • Exchange of clinical research ethics educational materials
    • Conflict of interest (COI) issues
  • Identification of and action plans for clinical translational research ethics issues within and across CTSA sites

Specific recommendations made to the PIs that await resolution:

  • Adoption of the priorities and structure of the working group
  • Establishment of new working groups to address CTSA Consortium issues

Communicating Through E-Newsletters

The Rockefeller University Center for Clinical and Translational Science recently launched an e-newsletter to communicate information about its new and expanding programs. Topics include opportunities for pilot research studies; support for Clinical Scholar and medical student positions; new core facilities to support clinical and translational science; and resources related to technology, statistics, and other infrastructure to enhance the conduct of research at Rockefeller. To keep readers informed about research at the center, the e-newsletter will also periodically highlight one or more of its ongoing studies. Click here to see the newsletter.

Other sites are also developing e-newsletters as a way to communicate internally and externally about their CTSA activities. With timely information and convenient delivery, e-newsletters are a popular and effective way to reach dispersed audiences. In a recent study by web usability experts at the Nielsen Norman Group, e-newsletter readers praised this source of information because it kept them up to date, was delivered directly to them, and required no further action than a click.

We will continue to update CTSAweb.org to link to additional CTSA Consortium communication products.

Updated Information on CTSAweb.org

CTSAweb.org was developed to ensure access to CTSA resources, enhance communication, and encourage sharing. The site will evolve with the CTSA in promoting this new direction of clinical research.

Upcoming Events for NIH Staff

NIH CTSA All Hands Meeting
NIH Contact: Anthony Hayward
Date: June 25, 2007
Meeting time: 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
Location: Building 31C, Conference Room 6
Report to NIH CTSA Subcommittee representatives on CTSA Steering Committee activities and Round 2 CTSA review

NIH CTSA Chairs and Co-Chairs Meeting
NIH Contact: Andrea Sawczuk
Date: July 17, 2007
Meeting time: 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Location: Democracy One, 9th floor conference room
Discussion of committee governance policies and procedures

Upcoming Committee Meeting Dates*

CTSA Consortium Committee Meeting Dates:

CTSA Community Engagement Monthly Call
NIH coordinator: Andrea Sawczuk
Date: June 22, 2007
Meeting time: 12:00 PM–1:00 PM
Conference Number: 1-888-889-7056
Participant Code: 80364

CTSA Evaluation Web Meeting
NIH coordinator: Lori Mulligan
Date: July 19, 2007
Meeting time: 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
Location: Democracy One, 9th floor conference room
Web participation
Conference Number: 1-877-239-6423
Participant Code: 344907

CTSA Regulatory Knowledge Meeting
NIH coordinator: Jody Sachs
Date: September 12, 2007
Meeting time: 8:00 AM–3:00 PM
Location: Democracy One, 9th floor conference room
Web Participation
Conference Number: 1-877-713-2255
Participant Code: 243769

CTSA Consortium Oversight  Meeting (i.e., Principal Investigators)
NIH coordinators:
Anthony Hayward & Andrea Sawczuk
Date: October 3, 2007
Meeting time: 8:00 AM–3:00 PM
Location: Building 31C, Conference Room 10

 

 

 


NIH CTSA Subcommittee Meeting Dates:

NIH CTSA Evaluation Meeting
NIH coordinator: Lori Mulligan
Date: June 29, 2007
Meeting time: 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Location: Democracy One, 9th floor conference room

NIH CTSA Pediatrics Meeting
NIH coordinator: Gail Pearson
Date: July 2, 2007
Meeting time: 3:30 PM–5:00 PM
Location: Rockledge II, Room 711

NIH CTSA Regulatory Knowledge Meeting
NIH coordinator: Jody Sachs
Date: July 9, 2007
Meeting time: 1:00 PM–2:00 PM
Location: Democracy One, 9th floor conference room

NIH CTSA Communications Meeting
NIH coordinator: Kameha Kidd
Date: July 10, 2007
Meeting time: 11:00 AM–12:30 PM
Location: Democracy One, 9th floor conference room

NIH CTSA Translational Meeting
NIH coordinator: Doug Sheeley
Date: July 16, 2007
Meeting time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Location: Building 31C, Conference Room 7
Conference Number: 1-888-495-9739
Participant Code: 49582

NIH CTSA Clinical Research Ethics Call
NIH coordinator: Dan Rosenblum
Date: July 18, 2007
Meeting time: 3:00–4:00 PM
Location: Democracy One, Room 987
Conference Number: TBD
Participant Code: TBD

*Please note, the meetings and events listed in this Newsletter are provided for your information. If you wish to participate, please contact the NIH coordinator.

We hope you find this Newsletter helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to Kameha Kidd, Office of Science Policy and Public Liaison, NCRR.