As a result of the shift to this business mindset, the often highly unethical and possibly illegal recruitment practices documented in the Report appear to be increasing rapidly. This Report is the first attempt to thoroughly address the issues involved in the recruitment of patients to clinical trials. However, as good as the Report is in description, it remains weak in prescription.
More drugs are in clinical trials now than even a few years ago.
In addition, many therapeutic categories of drugs, such as those for hypertension, are becoming saturated with drugs, leading to increased competition. More human subjects are therefore needed and the competition to get them approved quickly and beat the competitor drug to the market has intensified. For some drugs, one month earlier to market can mean tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue before the drug is challenged by a generic. Speed and efficiency, from the drug industry's perspective, favor the privatization of human experimentation, moving research away from the academic medical centers where it has traditionally resided. A recent article in the New York Times documents how, with 43 million Americans uninsured, many are forced to turn to a series of research studies to remain treated.