This is a good statement. I am pleased to hear from Prof. Edwards. I would be happier to hear from UCL with specific proposals. I don't like the use of the MEA in the way that they have been at the foot of this statement:
IiME will contact other organisations to invite them to donate to this cause. One organisation has already indicated it will support a rituximab trial – in fact the MEA chairman has publicly stated on 29th July to an IiME supporter - “Let us know when you find some good quality researchers with a peer reviewed proposal. We have £60,000 in a ring fenced pot awaiting such a development.”.
But that is for the MEA to thrash out I suppose.
I still remain skeptical that this has been shown to be true:
We now have the researchers willing to perform this trial in the UK.
But IiME have said they have some sort of commitment from Dr Cambridge at UCL and that may be - in the absence of actual money - all they can realistically hope for at this stage. But this remains to be seen I think - from conversations I have had I think you can do more before the funding is in place e.g. outline the actual study as a proposal and subject it to peer review.
I mean - with no personal experience you understand - wouldn't you be making a 'bid' for a contract? This is no different that any other team of researchers applying to e.g. the MRC for a grant.
No reason it can't be done now and from the statement it still seems that specifics have not been engaged in. What we have at best is a tentative agreement that yes, UCL is capable of doing a study, and would like to do one.
A firmer proposal can still be submitted and run the hurdles of ethics for example. Things can be established in advance of the money being available.
I don't want to discourage anyone from donating money, but I would like some greater substance to the claims that UCL are on standby and that funding is the only obstacle.
Other than that - crikey it is a lot of money, isn't it? We knew this going in of course, but still £400,000 just to try and replicate
The MRC are not going to step in. I wouldn't be surprised if for some (not necessarily the MRC) sitting back and waiting for the Norwegians is considered a (more) sensible step.
If realistically, it takes 2-4 years to raise enough from donations for a £400k 30 patient, 30 control, blinded, replication; then the Norwegians will at least have been able to publish I would have thought.
Then we will be able to decide if we want to go ahead and do a replication of our own in the UK. Might not want to if the Norwegian results do not replicate.
Then of course we have yet to hear about the US promised Trial. From OMI I think wasn't it? What's happening over the pond?