Biomedical engineers play an increasingly central role in clinical research as the boundary between medicine and technology continues to narrow. Traditionally, engineers were seen as providing technical support to clinicians—designing devices, processing data, or developing software tools. However, the modern…   Read more»

I think biomedical engineers play a much more active role in clinical research today than ever before. As technology and data analytics become essential to clinical trials, engineers are helping to bridge the gap between the technical and clinical sides….   Read more»

There is a conflict when it comes to honest/proper communication and using the nocebo or placebo effect as a therapeutic tool. Patients entering a clinical trial will develop their own expectations for their treatment even prior to receiving a full…   Read more»

The placebo effect can present a significant challenges in accurately interpreting clinical trial data. When patients receiving a placebo demonstrate outcomes similar to those taking the drug in question, it becomes difficult to distinguish between true pharmacological efficacy and psychological…   Read more»

At first, I thought a single-blind study would be enough since the patient’s response is what really matters. But I realized that if the researcher knows who’s getting the actual drug, as it can unintentionally influence how they treat the…   Read more»

Clinical trials are indeed very long and very expensive because of the ethics, regulatory demands, and demands for solid results which go into each clinical trial. Simplifying clinical trials might not directly be possible, however optimizing clinical trials in a…   Read more»

As mentioned, a blinded study is a bit difficult to have honest conversations with the patient as it could compromise the study integrity. If a patient learns about which treatment they are receiving, it pretty much ruins the study. To…   Read more»

The placebo effect can definitely cause some difficulties in clinical studies. It really is amazing how, even if the medication isn’t helping in itself, the mere belief that you’re receiving treatment may improve your health, at least mentally. It can…   Read more»

I think I would like to work on the data management team if I was a part of a clinical research trial. The analytical aspect of research has always piqued my interest when it comes to verifying the accuracy of…   Read more»

I see your point that double blind trials appear to be a waste of time, but i think they have a decent purpose as others have said. It helps ensure that no one’s expectations unintentionally affect the results when neither…   Read more»

While virtual trials can help with reaching as many patients as possible, this approach has drawbacks to it as well. The main benefit of virtual trials is of course, the ability to reach the maximum number of possible participants across…   Read more»

I agree that Good Clinical Practice (GCP) is essential for maintaining ethical standards and protecting patients, but I also see how it can sometimes feel overly focused on documentation rather than the people participating in the studies. The guidelines are…   Read more»

You raise a really good point — it does seem at first that a single-blind study, where only the patient doesn’t know what they’re receiving, should be enough. However, the reason double-blind studies are preferred is to remove investigator bias…   Read more»

If I worked in clinical research, I would like to have the role of a monitor. Monitors have the role of ensuring clinical trials are run safely and ethically, that data is accurate and reliable, and that patients’ rights are…   Read more»

The placebo effect is a great example of how phycological and physiological systems in our bodies are so deeply intertwined with each other. This makes it both a challenge and a learning opportunity in clinical research and study. Viewing it…   Read more»

The placebo effect is a fascinating and challenging aspect of clinical research because it highlights how powerful the mind-body connection can be. When patients receiving a sham or inactive treatment (placebo) report improvements similar to those receiving the actual drug,…   Read more»

In my opinion, a single-blind study could work in a majority of the cases since the researchers/investigators do not really have significant effect on the results of the study most of the time. However, this may not be true sometimes…   Read more»

The placebo effect can make it difficult to tell whether improvements in patients are due to the actual drug or simply their belief that they are receiving treatment. To differentiate, results are compared between the placebo group and the active…   Read more»

I completely agree that GCP guidelines are done correctly in terms of safety and efficiency. GCP is extremely important in ensuring the validity of a medical device, drugs, etc. Protecting patients is the number 1 responsibility of a clinical trial,…   Read more»

Biomedical engineers I believe play a significant role in clinical research and can be the bridge to piece a lot of aspects together. The background in the field has big focuses on design controls, systems thinking and even data analytics;…   Read more»