CAPTURE! SHOCK! EXCITE! Clinical Trial Acronyms and the “Branding” of Clinical Research
Authors: Michael Berkwits
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Medical Writings7 November 2000CAPTURE! SHOCK! EXCITE! Clinical Trial Acronyms and the “Branding” of Clinical ResearchMichael Berkwits, MDMichael Berkwits, MDPhiladelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center; University of Pennsylvania Health System (Berkwits)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-9-200011070-00039 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The use of acronyms to name study groups and trials is by now an unremarkable aspect of clinical research. A recent review identified more than 2000 named trials as of 1998 (1), and journals and conferences regularly announce the results of new efforts with names like those in the title of this article (2-4). That the phenomenon has received little formal attention is surprising because no other scientific community presents its work in this way. Naming is generally an act of tremendous symbolic and practical significance, and there is no reason to think it any less so in medical science. ...References1. Cheng TO. Acronyms of clinical trials in cardiology—1998. Am Heart J. 1999;137:726-65. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Morris DC. Results from late-breaking clinical trials sessions at ACCIS '99 and ACC '99. American College of Cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;34:1-8. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Ferguson JJ. Meeting highlights. Highlights of the 48th scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology. Circulation. 1999;100:570-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Jafary F. ACC Scientific Session 2000. Late-breaking clinical trial results–sessions I, II, and III. Available at www.medscape.com/server-java/SearchClinical?QueryText=ACC+Scientific+Session. Accessed 31 August 2000. Google Scholar5. . A study of the effects of hypoglycemic agents on vascular complications in patients with adult-onset diabetes. 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CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Michael Berkwits, MDAffiliations: Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center; University of Pennsylvania Health System (Berkwits)For definitions of trial name abbreviations and references, see the Appendix Table.Corresponding Author: Michael Berkwits, MD, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, 1229 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104; e-mail, berkwits@mail.med.upenn.edu. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoClinical Trial Acronyms Paul I. Roda Clinical Trial Acronyms Tsung O. 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Roda, MDClinical Trial AcronymsTsung O. Cheng, MD 7 November 2000Volume 133, Issue 9Page: 755-759KeywordsAcute myocardial infarctionClinical trialsDrugsGlycoproteinsHeartLipidsLongitudinal studiesMedical risk factorsPerceptionShock ePublished: 7 November 2000 Issue Published: 7 November 2000 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...