Science, medicine and industry: are we getting out of the black hole in sepsis research?

摘要

In this issue of Intensive Care Medicine, Finfer and colleagues describe an important new clinical trial which (re-)examines the effects of a not-so-new drug-recom-binant human activated protein C (rhAPC)-on outcome in sepsis [1]. This publication is important because it describes-at an early phase-the basis for and protocol of a study, which will hopefully not only clarify but also potentially change clinical use of this drug. The decision to inform the intensive care community of the trial right from the beginning also motivates this editorial, which reviews some aspects of the complexity of the relationship and interactions in the triangle of three major players (but not always ideal partners) involved in pertinent clinical research: science, medicine and industry.