Our Research & Training

We conduct research on the safety and effectiveness of medical products such as Alzheimer’s drugs, cancer drugs, and medical implants and devices used for a wide range of health problems, such as heart disease and joint replacement. In addition to the free information on this website and on www.stopcancerfund.org, we also publish articles in major medical journals and health policy journals.

These are the summaries of studies we’ve done, and here are the articles we’ve published in medical journals and health policy journals in the last few years.

Are you a reporter or medical writer interested in our free Health Research Training Workshop? Learn more here.

Comment on ‘Statement on Combined Hormonal Contraceptives Containing Third- or Fourth-Generation Progestogens or Cyproterone Acetate, and the Associated Risk of Thromboembolism’

Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, July 8, 2013. Despite the increased interest in evidence-based medicine, many medical guidelines and statements of medical professionals are based primarily on opinion rather than scientific facts. The ‘Statement on combined hormonal contraceptives containing third- or fourth-generation progestogens or cyproterone acetate, and the associated risk of thromboembolism’ raises such concerns.

Hip Implant Failure for Men and Women: What and When We Need to Know

JAMA Internal Medicine, February 18, 2013. Total hip replacement is a popular procedure that is increasing as baby boomers age. A new study by Inacio et al in this issue of JAMA Internal Medicine reports that most hip implant patients are women, and that their risk of implant failure is higher than men’s.

Public Health Implications of Differences in US and European Union Regulatory Policies for Breast Implants

Reproductive Health Matters, December 2012. Tens of thousands of defective silicone breast implants were recalled in Europe in 2011–12 soon after the FDA’s unrelated announcement that a rare cancer of the immune system was associated with all saline and silicone gel breast implants. These developments raised questions about whether U.S. and European regulations were protecting patients from unsafe medical implants.

Antibiotic Uses and Challenges — Our Comprehensive Review Published on Medscape

Medscape, June 16, 2010. Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Research Center for Women & Families co-writes a review of antibiotics. The goal of the review is to help primary care physicians prescribe the correct antibiotics for their patients.

Medical Device Recalls and the FDA Approval Process

February 14, 2011. Unlike prescription drugs, medical devices are reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) using 2 alternative regulatory standards: (1) premarket approval (PMA), which requires clinical testing and inspections; or (2) the 510(k) process, which requires that the device be similar to a device already marketed (predicate device). The second standard is intended for devices that the FDA deems to involve low or moderate risk.