US scientists urge overhaul of clinical trials to restore confidence

The US government's top biomedical scientists have called for an overhaul of clinical trials to protect the public and to restore trust in medicine. After a summit at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Maryland, the institutes' director, Elias Zerhouni, warned that failure to spot serious side effects of drugs quickly enough was gradually eroding public trust. He announced an eight point plan designed to improve clinical trials and reduce the likelihood of side effects being swept under the carpet.

A key recommendation is for equal weight to be given to determining the safety as well as the …