The Italian Community Advisory Board (ICAB): a community-based project aimed to improve collaboration amongst patients, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies in Italy.
Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. E11432)
Nasta P, Guarinieri M, Intoppa M, Cerioli A, Bevacqua D, Pancanti M, Vatrella A, Shloesser F, Baisotti S Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Brescia, Italy
The EATG- European AIDS treating Group and ECAB - Euorpean Community Advisory Board strating in 1990 their work in Europe and inspire the growth of national advisory board. ICAB was founded by Italian members of EATG in November 1999. The main goal are similar to those of ECAB: review the design of clinical trials during the process of protocol development,promote best practice procedures,suggest / initiate trials when dictated by community needs,review informed consent procedure for both content and language,monitor ongoing trials as far as adverse events, compliance and community needs are concerned,be informed of interim results,interact with other involved entities such as investigators as Data Safety Minitoring Board (DSMB) In ICAB are involved the most important associations for fight against AIDS in Italy which particular interest on Antiretroviral therapy and scientific trials. ICAB in 2000-2001 was able to meet all Italian branch of pharmaceutical company involved to discuss together about drug's access, management and time table of trials, problems of spread's information. The meeting between company and ICAB are addressed to give the patient's opinion to the company,to receive information and to collaborate on the diffusion of non confidential news among patients. One of others important aim of National Community Advisory Board, as ICAB, is to try to include patients in scientific board of spontaneous researches and independent trials planned by Universities and Italian Institute if Health. ICAB is actually involved in ICONA study, in the ISS studies on quality of life and management of pregnant HIV women.
CONCLUSIONS: ICAB is a "cultural bet" which try to improve collaboration among associations against AIDS in Italy and to start a new way to see the role of patients in the management of therapies, not only like a study's object, but like protagonists in the research's planning
Keywords: AEGIS, Cooperative Behavior, Italy, Health Personnel, Physicians, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Clinical Trials, Research, Clinical Trials Data Monitoring Committees, Language, Universities, HIV Infections, Europe, Academies and Institutes, Federal Government, Human, Pregnancy, Female, Psychology, instrumentation
