§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the parameters used for clinical trials. [172793]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government's policy is to foster scientific innovation and strengthen the evidence base for modern health care in partnership with universities, charities and industry. High quality clinical trials are an important means of testing pharmaceutical and other innovations. Through the new clinical research collaboration announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in March, the Government aim to increase opportunities for people to take part in clinical research. There is now a legal framework across the European Union to ensure that clinical trials with medicines are conducted to internationally agreed principles and standards of safety.
The randomised controlled trial is one of a range of research techniques that generate benefits for patients and users of health and social care. As a research funder the Department takes independent expert advice on the design and methods that are most appropriate for a particular question. Accordingly, research supported by the Department has covered the full range of qualitative and quantitative, randomised and non-randomised research methodologies.
The national health service research and development methodology programme promotes the identification, development and use of appropriate research methods so that health and social care can be built on the best possible evidence base. Publications from this programme have included reports on the following areas of particular relevance to the question:
Evaluating non-randomised intervention studies (2003).Can randomised trials rely on existing electronic data? A feasibility study to explore the value of routine data in health technology assessment (2003).Using routine data to complement and enhance the results of randomised controlled trials (2000).1700W
Number of dentists leaving and joining the GDS or PDS in England and Wales broken by month 1997 1998 1999 2000 Leavers Entrants Leavers Entrants Leavers Entrants Leavers Entrants January 87 142 93 144 119 141 102 131 February 87 104 91 135 103 139 98 156 March 72 68 98 100 95 99 103 118 April 151 83 109 77 114 95 134 90 May 98 71 90 77 98 95 107 93 June 98 88 89 83 78 78 121 72 July 77 110 81 124 87 111 120 136 August 151 568 188 651 193 694 191 656 September 146 157 188 191 203 177 231 189 October 105 100 97 175 125 153 146 198 November 86 98 91 106 122 128 120 108 December 78 63 78 69 88 74 106 69 Total 1,236 1,652 1,293 1,932 1,425 1,984 1,579 2,016 These documents are available from the health technology assessment programme website at www.hta.nhsweb.nhs.uk. Details of the methodology programme are available at www.publichealth.bham.ac.uk/nccrm/index.htm.