CTrials invites the public to take part in the elections for the association’s committees:

Managing Committee
Audit Committee

 

 

One of the groundbreaking events in the field of clinical trials in Israel took place recently; the opening conference of CTrials, the Israeli Association for the Advancement of the Biomedical Research Community.
The conference, which took place on Wednesday October 28th, at Kfar HaMacabbiah, brought together over 300 of the country's top professionals in the field of clinical trials.  Participants hailed from all regions of the country, from various organizations and professions. Dr. Lincoff, the guest speaker from Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, brought an international feel to the event.

 

Amongst the participants were physicians, investigators, lab staff, pharmacists, and many others for whom clinical trials and research are an important part of their daily routine. Also present were many research nurses and research assistants, who dedicate their days – and nights – to advancing clinical research; legislators and lawmakers and members of Helsinki Committees, with their members of staff, who perform their tasks with a sense of duty and a firm belief in their mission; sponsors, manufacturers of drugs, biologics, and medical devices;  staff members of CROs, data managers, statisticians and data analysts, project managers, trial monitors and training managers; government authority workers and regulatory managers; manufacturers of investigational products, logistics managers, and randomization specialists;  medical writers, translators, and editors;  and last, but certainly not least, the ethics specialists, who bear the weight of the difficult and fascinating human aspect of clinical trials.
The participants were greeted by key members of the clinical trials community in Israel:

Professor Jacques Michel, former Director of the Hadassah Mount Scopus Medical Center, who has served for years on Hadassah's Helsinki Committee, who addressed the importance of medical ethics as the top issue of the day.

Professor Benyamin Shredni, Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Health, a Professor of Bar Ilan University, investigator, developer, and sponsor, who not only brought the word of the institute and authority, but also helped bridge the gap between academic research and the stages of clinical development and research.

Adva Perry, Adv., of the Ethics Bureau of the Israeli Medical Association, represented the respected lawmakers who accompany clinical trials in their various stages and spoke on behalf of IMA.

Dr. Meir Lahav, Chairperson of the Rabin Medical Center Helsinki Committee (IRB) and Chairperson of the National Forum for Chairpersons of Ethics Committees in IMA, who represented the  medical centers' Ethics Committees.
Professor Haim Aviv of the Weizmann Institute, one of Israel's biotech pioneers, and one of the establishers of the Weizmann Science Park in Rehovot, who brought the point of view of the sponsor and developer.
Dr. Yitzhak Berlovitz, Director of the Wolfson Medical Center, who discussed the role of the management of medical centers in authorization, assistance, and overseeing of clinical research in medical centers.
The participants also saw a filmed greeting by Professor Ron Dagan, who was not in attendance.  Professor Dagan is the director of one of the country's biggest research departments, and in parallel, manages the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Soroka Medical Center, which aims to train investigators as part of their medical training in Israel.

The elections for the association's steering committee was preceded by a short presentation given by Ms. Liat Ben David, Director of Quality for PharmaClinical, who brought forth the importance of understanding, realizing, and implementing quality in every aspect of clinical trials, and presented the option of initiating a forum that would deal exclusively with quality., which will set an example for other forums within the association.
Ms. Tali Schaffer lead the participants through the maze of elections – of a list of volunteers, each participant was asked to chose five members, who will form the committee that will prepare the association's platform, the elections for the managing committee, and that will set the goals – of course, with the participation of the association's members.

Dr. Michael Lincoff of Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, a cardiologist and a great clinical investigator, who was invited to lecture, brought an international feel to the event and presented the complex and convoluted issues for the clinical investigator and the challenges they face in academic research facilities. Those present were encouraged by the parallels drawn between the systems here and in the US, were impressed by the many options and activities presented and the way in which the systems mesh and work together.

The last session dealt with the daily clinical routine: Ms. Monique Ben Am, M Sc., Director Global Operational Management & Resources, Global Clinical Operations, Global IR&D presented the patient as the center of clinical development;  Mgr. Diana Geva, M Sc. Pharm., director of PPD Israel, presented a precise and clear review on coping with managing the clinical research process during times of global recession.; and finally, Dr. David Shrem, Adv., shed light on the medico-legal aspects of clinical trials.

The entire conference had a relaxed social atmosphere, which enhanced the hopes of those present; to create a unified and unique group to which all involved in clinical trials can belong, into which each can bring their personal beliefs, activities, and abilities. There is no doubt that for the participants – as well as the many who could not attend – there is much knowledge, experience, and desire to be brought to such an organization, its members, and the general public. Additionally, our hope is that the association will be the basis for discussion groups amongst peers, colleagues, and those of different professions, which will assist in pinpointing needs and finding ways of creating solutions. 

 

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