Clinical research: a tale of two studies

Threats to the status of clinical research have been well documented in the past three decades, and the National Institutes of Health and the Congress have done much to alleviate them. But the relationships of academic investigators and pharmaceutical companies remain a treacherous area. This vital nexus, on which so much progress depends, must be carefully maintained. In this paper I present two examples of academic/pharmaceutical company collaborations, both in search of a similar drug. The cases illustrate both some important hazards and accomplishments of clinical research.