6. Finding and Fostering Clinical Trial Doctors

Abstract

Item 2 of the new, 5-year action plan to revitalize clinical trials comprises ‘fostering and securing personnel to conduct clinical trials and research’ . Accordingly, the fostering and securing of clinical research coordinators, biostatisticians and data managers are being promoted comparatively proactively; however, the situation regarding doctors remains unsatisfactory. Herein, we introduce initiatives taken by Ehime University Hospital to tackle this. Ehime University has constructed 1)an internal hospital medical team based on inter-departmental collaboration within the University Hospital to conduct identical clinical trials, and 2)a clinical trial medical group including local institutions, as a way of creating an internationally competitive structure. The process of creating this structure makes it possible to find doctors to proactively conduct clinical trials. The results of an attitude survey conducted to assist with creating an environment to foster doctor involvement revealed that 1)few doctors thought it would increase their self-evaluation, 2)many doctors were not using their research budgets, and 3)many doctors thought that clinical trials take time and effort and so did not want to conduct them. In accordance with these requests, we introduce initiatives already undertaken to improve the image surrounding clinical trials. Our goal is to further promote the creation of an environment that motivates doctors to conduct clinical trials.