Advanced ovarian and endometrial carcinomas present the greatest challenge in treating gynecologic cancer and, among the five types of female cancers, are responsible for the most U.S. deaths annually.1 With a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation; patients can go into remission, but the majority will have a recurrence after several months or years. There...
Gynecologic cancers are comprised of five major types: ovarian, uterine, cervical, vaginal, and vulvar. All women are at risk for these, and risk increases with age. Specific risk factors include a family history, human papillomavirus (HPV) infections (cervical cancer), genetic mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 (ovarian cancer or OC), and hormone replacement therapy. Early...
On May 26, 2017, the EU Regulation 2017/746 of the European Parliament and the Council on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDR) became active under the EU Regulation on Medical Devices (MDR). Recertification by May 26, 2022, became required for all previously approved products. The IVDR will replace the EU’s current Directive on in vitro...
If you develop or manufacture in-vitro diagnostic products, you know the May 2022 roll-out date for the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (IVDR) is just around the corner. But what, exactly, does that mean? Many of our sponsors have been approaching us with questions, such as: What aspects of the IVDR apply...
In a fast-paced digital world, healthcare has had to adapt to better serve consumers who increasingly prefer the convenience of web- or app-based services to in-person assistance. Mobile health (or mHealth) solutions provide increased access to care, making it easier for patients to receive care and for healthcare professionals to deliver that care. Visual assessments...
Recruitment for rare disease research has always been difficult due to myriad factors inherent to the low incidence and prevalence of these conditions. In recent years, however, recruiting for rare disease trials has become even more challenging due to increasing competition in the clinical research environment. In addition, as technologies advance and information becomes more...
Regulatory approval is the final hurdle sponsors face when launching an in vitro diagnostic (IVD). After spending many years and millions of dollars on development, it can prove frustrating when the finish is in sight, but there are barriers to success. Fortunately, many of those barriers can easily be avoided. In more than 30 years...
Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is one of the most common gynecologic disorders among women of reproductive age, accounting for up to one-third of all gynecologic office visits.1 HMB refers to bleeding associated with regular ovulatory cycles and involves blood loss greater than 80 ml per month. It is a subcategory of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB),...
Minimizing the burden that trial participants experience is essential for successful recruitment and retention, especially in oncology studies, where patients may need to be followed for years after the treatment phase of the trial. For sponsors, the process of optimizing study outcomes involves a deep understanding of the patient’s care journey and a deliberate effort...
During the initial planning for clinical trial implementation, intense focus is placed on strategies for patient recruitment, while strategies for patient engagement and retention are often left until after the treatment phase. However, with many current protocol designs in oncology, trial endpoints require study participants to be followed for years to evaluate side effects and...