scholarly journals COVID-19: Why SOLIDARITY and DisCoVeRy trials may fail to bring informative and timely results

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mondher Toumi ◽  
Shuyao Liang ◽  
Monique Dabbous ◽  
Yitong Wang ◽  
Tingting Qiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Task Force ◽  
World Health ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Clinical Trial Registry ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The Us ◽  
Clinical Trials Registry ◽  
Google Search

AbstractObjectiveThe SOLIDARITY and DisCoVeRy trials were launched to facilitate the rapid worldwide comparison of the efficacy and safety of treatments against COVID-19. This study aimed to review the trial designs of SOLIDARITY and DisCoVeRy and their feasibility to generate high-quality evidence.MethodA systematic search of the European Clinical trial registry, the U.S. National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) was conducted on May 10th, 2020 to identify the study details of the SOLIDARITY and DisCoVeRy trials. A supplementary search of PubMed, WHO’s website, French authorities’ websites, and Google search engine was conducted. A critical review was performed on the findings.ResultsThe DisCoVeRy trial design was detailed consistently in both the European and the US clinical rial registries. SOLIDARITY was registered on ICTRP, with country-specific information reported on country-level registry platforms. The DisCoVeRy trial’s design appears to be ideal from the methodological perspective. Both trials appear difficult to implement, impractical, and disconnected from the pandemic reality. This is consistent with the apparent failure of the trials to deliver conclusions before the end of the pandemic.ConclusionBoth trials constitute an interesting initiative yet may lack the resources to support a high-quality implementation. The authors call for a pandemic task force, with various experts on the front-line of COVID-19, to inform policy-makers to make effective decisions that may not be based on traditional, methodological state-of-the-art evidence, but rather pragmatic and revisable decisions reflecting emerging evidence for the benefit of patients and society.

scholarly journals Health on the Net: Do Website Searches Return Reliable Health Information on Hemorrhoids and Their Treatment?

2017 ◽  
Vol 102 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 216-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. Ng ◽  
Riley Smith ◽  
Nilmini Wickramesinghe ◽  
Philip J. Smart ◽  
Nathan Lawrentschuk
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Web Search ◽  
Search Algorithm ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
Google Search

Objective: To analyze the quality of health information on the Internet on hemorrhoids across 5 Western languages and perform a comparative analysis of website sponsors. Summary of background data: Hemorrhoids are a common condition affecting the hemorrhoid cushions of the anal canal. Many treatment options are available. Information on the Internet on hemorrhoids is considered variable, but there is little data analysis to support this. The World Health Organization's Health On the Net (HON) accredits medical and health websites based on a code of conduct and publishes a toolbar that aids identification of such accredited websites. Methods: Using the Google search engine (http://www.google.com, Google, Mountain View, California), searches were performed using 11 keywords related to hemorrhoids in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Health On the Net accreditation was determined to assess quality website information. The first 150 websites in each language had their adherence to the HON principles analyzed, and English websites were analyzed to determine sponsorship source. Results: Of the 8250 websites analysed, 586 (7.1%) were found to HON-accredited. The rate of HON accreditation ranged from 2.0% (piles) to 10.0% (hemorrhoids), with higher-ranking results having higher rates of HON accreditation (P < 0.001). Conclusion: There is a paucity of high-quality information on the Internet; however, the Google search algorithm prioritizes high-quality information in its web search results.

scholarly journals Digital health for the End TB Strategy: developing priority products and making them work

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Falzon ◽  
Hazim Timimi ◽  
Pascal Kurosinski ◽  
Giovanni Battista Migliori ◽  
Wayne Van Gemert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Electronic Learning ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Health Innovations ◽  
World Health Assembly Resolution ◽  
Health Products ◽  
Health Organization

In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the End TB Strategy in response to a World Health Assembly Resolution requesting Member States to end the worldwide epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) by 2035. For the strategy's objectives to be realised, the next 20 years will need novel solutions to address the challenges posed by TB to health professionals, and to affected people and communities. Information and communication technology presents opportunities for innovative approaches to support TB efforts in patient care, surveillance, programme management and electronic learning. The effective application of digital health products at a large scale and their continued development need the engagement of TB patients and their caregivers, innovators, funders, policy-makers, advocacy groups, and affected communities.In April 2015, WHO established its Global Task Force on Digital Health for TB to advocate and support the development of digital health innovations in global efforts to improve TB care and prevention. We outline the group's approach to stewarding this process in alignment with the three pillars of the End TB Strategy. The supplementary material of this article includes target product profiles, as developed by early 2016, defining nine priority digital health concepts and products that are strategically positioned to enhance TB action at the country level.

scholarly journals Clinical trial reporting performance of thirty UK universities on ClinicalTrials.gov—evaluation of a new tracking tool for the US clinical trial registry

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarai Mirjam Keestra ◽  
Florence Rodgers ◽  
Daphne Lenz ◽  
Rhiannon Osborne ◽  
Till Bruckner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Median Number ◽  
World Health ◽  
Trial Registry ◽  
Clinical Trial Registry ◽  
Link Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Uk

AbstractClinical trial transparency forms the foundation of evidence-based medicine, and trial sponsors, especially publicly funded institutions such as universities, have an ethical and scientific responsibility to make the results of clinical trials publicly available in a timely fashion. We assessed whether the thirty UK universities receiving the most Medical Research Council funding in 2017–2018 complied with World Health Organization best practices for clinical trial reporting on the US Clinical Trial Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov). Firstly, we developed and evaluated a novel automated tracking tool (clinical-trials-tracker.com) for clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. This tracker identifies the number of due trials (whose completion lies more than 395 days in the past) that have not reported results on the registry and can now be used for all sponsors. Secondly, we used the tracker to determine the number of due clinical trials sponsored by the selected UK universities in October 2020. Thirdly, using the FDAAA Trials Tracker, we identified trials sponsored by these universities that are not complying with reporting requirements under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act 2007. Finally, we quantified the average and median number of days between primary completion date and results posting. In October 2020, the universities included in our study were sponsoring 1634 due trials, only 1.6% (n = 26) of which had reported results within a year of completion. 89.8% (n = 1468) of trials remained unreported, and 8.6% (n = 140) of trials reported results late. We also identified 687 trials that contained inconsistent data, suggesting that UK universities often fail to update their data adequately on ClinicalTrials.gov. The mean reporting delay after primary completion for trials that posted results was 981 days, the median 728 days. Only four trials by UK universities violated the FDAAA 2007. We suggest a number of reasons for the poor reporting performance of UK universities on ClinicalTrials.gov: (i) efforts to improve clinical trial reporting in the UK have to date focused on the European clinical trial registry (EU CTR), (ii) the absence of a tracking tool for timely reporting on ClinicalTrials.gov has limited the visibility of institutions’ reporting performance on the US registry and (iii) there is currently a lack of repercussions for UK sponsors who fail to report results on ClinicalTrials.gov which should be addressed in the future.

scholarly journals Health Research Capacities in Palestine: High-quality and Proper Knowledge Transfer and Translation for Sound Decision-making

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed AlKhaldi ◽  
Hamza Meghari ◽  
Irene Anne Jillson ◽  
Abdulsalam Alkaiyat ◽  
Marcel Tanner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Health Research ◽  
World Health ◽  
Research Translation ◽  
Translational Science ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Capacity Strengthening ◽  
Key Informants

Abstract Background: Over the last two decades, the World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a global strategy and initiatives to build robust capacity for a Health Research System (HRS) focusing on Health Research Quality and Standardization (HRQS), Health Research Knowledge Transfer and Dissemination (HRKTD), and Health Research Translation and Utilization into Health Care Decisions and Policies (HRTUDP). Despite the expansion of health research productivity for several decades, HRS Capacity (HRSC) in Palestine and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region generally has rarely been objectively evaluated. This study aims at eliciting the perceptions of HRS performers in Palestine in order to understand the status of the capacities of HRS, identify gaps, and to generate policies and solutions capable of strengthening HRSC in Palestine.Methods: Purposive methods were used in this qualitative study to identify key informants from three sectors; government, academia, and local and international organizations. Fifty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants and a total of fifty-two individuals participated in six focus groups. Data were analyzed by using MAXQDA 12.Results: The overall pattern of the Palestinian HRS capacities is relatively weak. The key findings revealed that while HR productivity in Palestine is improving, HRQS is at an average level and quality guidelines are not followed due to paucity of understanding, policies, resources. HRKTD is a central challenge with both a dearth of conceptualization of translational science and inadequate implementation. The factors related to inadequate HRKTD include lack of awareness on the part of the researchers; inadequate regulatory frameworks and mechanisms for both communication and collaboration between and among researchers and policy-makers and clinicians; lack of availability of and credibility in systematized and reliable HR data. Despite the limited knowledge translation, in general, HRTUDP is not considered as an essential decision-making methodology mainly due to lack of knowledge producers and policy-makers interface, understanding level, HR credibility and availability of applied research, and governance, resources, and political fluctuations. A consolidating regulatory framework and an effective capacity strengthening strategy to promote HRQS as well as an understanding of concepts and practices of translational science and, most importantly, the use of findings for evidence-based policies and practice are substantial recommendations to make HRS well-capacitated and strengthened. Conclusions: Strengthening HRSC is both an imperative step and an opportunity to improve the Palestinian health system based on research evidence and knowledge. Building a successful HRS characterized by capacities of high-quality research and well-disseminated and translated knowledge is a prerequisite to effective health systems and services. This can be achieved by a political commitment to support such strengthening, consolidated leadership and governance structure, and a strong operational capacity strengthening strategy.

scholarly journals Health Research Capacities in Palestine: High-quality and Proper Knowledge Transfer and Translation for Sound Decision-making

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed AlKhaldi ◽  
Hamza Meghari ◽  
Irene Anne Jillson ◽  
Abdulsalam Alkaiyat ◽  
Marcel Tanner
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Health Research ◽  
World Health ◽  
Research Translation ◽  
Translational Science ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Capacity Strengthening ◽  
Key Informants

Abstract Background: Over the last two decades, the World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a global strategy and initiatives to build robust capacity for a Health Research System (HRS) focusing on Health Research Quality and Standardization (HRQS), Health Research Knowledge Transfer and Dissemination (HRKTD), and Health Research Translation and Utilization into Health Care Decisions and Policies (HRTUDP). Despite the expansion of health research productivity for several decades, HRS Capacity (HRSC) in Palestine and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region generally has rarely been objectively evaluated. This study aims at eliciting the perceptions of HRS performers in Palestine in order to understand the status of the capacities of HRS, identify gaps, and to generate policies and solutions capable of strengthening HRSC in Palestine.Methods: Purposive methods were used in this qualitative study to identify key informants from three sectors; government, academia, and local and international organizations. Fifty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants and a total of fifty-two individuals participated in six focus groups. Data were analyzed by using MAXQDA 12.Results: The overall pattern of the Palestinian HRS capacities is relatively weak. The key findings revealed that while HR productivity in Palestine is improving, HRQS is at an average level and quality guidelines are not followed due to paucity of understanding, policies, resources. HRKTD is a central challenge with both a dearth of conceptualization of translational science and inadequate implementation. The factors related to inadequate HRKTD include lack of awareness on the part of the researchers; inadequate regulatory frameworks and mechanisms for both communication and collaboration between and among researchers and policy-makers and clinicians; lack of availability of and credibility in systematized and reliable HR data. Despite the limited knowledge translation, in general, HRTUDP is not considered as an essential decision-making methodology mainly due to lack of knowledge producers and policy-makers interface, understanding level, HR credibility and availability of applied research, and governance, resources, and political fluctuations. A consolidating regulatory framework and an effective capacity strengthening strategy to promote HRQS as well as an understanding of concepts and practices of translational science and, most importantly, the use of findings for evidence-based policies and practice are substantial recommendations to make HRS well-capacitated and strengthened. Conclusions: Strengthening HRSC is both an imperative step and an opportunity to improve the Palestinian health system based on research evidence and knowledge. Building a successful HRS characterized by capacities of high-quality research and well-disseminated and translated knowledge is a prerequisite to effective health systems and services. This can be achieved by a political commitment to support such strengthening, consolidated leadership and governance structure, and a strong operational capacity strengthening strategy.

Breakfast Skipping Is an Independent Predictor of Obesity but not Overweight Among Children in a Southeastern European Population

2016 ◽  
Vol 86 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 242-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genc Burazeri ◽  
Jolanda Hyska ◽  
Iris Mone ◽  
Enver Roshi
Keyword(s):  
Task Force ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
European Population ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Communist Country ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Breakfast Skipping

Abstract.Aim: To assess the association of breakfast skipping with overweight and obesity among children in Albania, a post-communist country in the Western Balkans, which is undergoing a long and difficult political and socioeconomic transition towards a market-oriented economy. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was carried out in Albania in 2013 including a representative sample of 5810 children aged 7.0 – 9.9 years (49.5% girls aged 8.4 ± 0.6 years and 51.5% boys aged 8.5 ± 0.6 years; overall response rate: 97%). Children were measured for height and weight, and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Cut-off BMI values of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) were used to define overweight and obesity in children. Demographic data were also collected. Results: Upon adjustment for age, sex, and place of residence, breakfast skipping was positively related to obesity (WHO criteria: OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.3–1.9; IOTF criteria: OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.4–2.5), but not overweight (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.9–1.3 and OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.9–1.4, respectively). Furthermore, breakfast skipping was associated with a higher BMI (multivariable-adjusted OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02–1.07). Conclusions: Our findings point to a strong and consistent positive relationship between breakfast skipping and obesity, but not overweight, among children in this transitional southeastern European population. Future studies in Albania and other transitional settings should prospectively examine the causal role of breakfast skipping in the development of overweight and obesity.

Palestine Unbound

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-134
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Task Force ◽  
The United States ◽  
Donald Trump ◽  
Tel Aviv ◽  
The Us ◽  
Intention To Move ◽  
Arab Israeli Conflict ◽  
The U.S

This section, updated regularly on the blog Palestine Square, covers popular conversations related to the Palestinians and the Arab-Israeli conflict during the quarter 16 November 2017 to 15 February 2018: #JerusalemIstheCapitalofPalestine went viral after U.S. president Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced his intention to move the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv. The arrest of Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi for slapping an Israeli soldier also prompted a viral campaign under the hashtag #FreeAhed. A smaller campaign protested the exclusion of Palestinian human rights from the agenda of the annual Creating Change conference organized by the US-based National LGBTQ Task Force in Washington. And, UNRWA publicized its emergency funding appeal, following the decision of the United States to slash funding to the organization, with the hashtag #DignityIsPriceless.

The Great Awakening - Digitalization in Dental Healthcare during the pandemic COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 380-384
Author(s):  
Priyanka Paul Madhu ◽  
Yojana Patil ◽  
Aishwarya Rajesh Shinde ◽  
Sangeeta Kumar ◽  
Pratik Phansopkar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Health Care Service ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
World Health ◽  
Record System ◽  
The World

disease in 2019, also called COVID-19, which has been widely spread worldwide had given rise to a pandemic situation. The public health emergency of international concern declared the agent as the (SARS-CoV-2) the severe acute respiratory syndrome and the World Health Organization had activated significant surveillance to prevent the spread of this infection across the world. Taking into the account about the rigorousness of COVID-19, and in the spark of the enormous dedication of several dental associations, it is essential to be enlightened with the recommendations to supervise dental patients and prevent any of education to the dental graduates due to institutional closure. One of the approaching expertise that combines technology, communications and health care facilities are to refine patient care, it’s at the cutting edge of the present technological switch in medicine and applied sciences. Dentistry has been improved by cloud technology which has refined and implemented various methods to upgrade electronic health record system, educational projects, social network and patient communication. Technology has immensely saved the world. Economically and has created an institutional task force to uplift the health care service during the COVID 19 pandemic crisis. Hence, the pandemic has struck an awakening of the practice of informatics in a health care facility which should be implemented and updated at the highest priority.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research on Lophomonas sp. in Scopus (1933-2019)

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoud Keighobadi ◽  
Maryam Nakhaei ◽  
Ali Sharifpour ◽  
Ali Akbar Khasseh ◽  
Sepideh Safanavaei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
International Collaboration ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
High Quality ◽  
The Real ◽  
The Us ◽  
The World ◽  
Scopus Database ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Global Research

Background: This study was designed to analyze the global research on Lophomonas spp. using bibliometric techniques. Methods: A bibliometric research was carried out using the Scopus database. The analysis unit was the research articles conducted on Lophomonas spp. Results: Totally, 56 articles about Lophomonas spp. were indexed in the Scopus throughout 1933-2019 ( 87 years ) with the following information: (A) The first article was published in 1933; (B) 21 different countries contributed in studies related to Lophomonas spp.; (C) China ranked first with 16 publications about Lophomonas spp.; and (D) “Brugerolle, G” and “Beams, H.W.” from France and the US participated in 4 articles respectively, as the highest number of publications in the Lophomonas spp. network. Discussion: After 87 years, Lophomonas still remains unknown for many researchers and physicians around the world. Further studies with high quality and international collaboration are urgently needed to determine different epidemiological aspects and the real burden of the mysterious parasite worldwide.

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