Understanding Clinical Trial Data and Setting Up a Clinical Trials Unit

In episode 11 of Cutaneous Miscellaneous, our host Nicholas Brownstone, MD speaks with Tina Bhutani, MD, MAS, Associate Professor of Dermatology at The University of California, San Francisco, Department of Dermatology and Co-Director of the Dermatology Clinical Research Unit and Psoriasis Treatment Center. The episode begins with board review prep on psoriasis. Dr. Bhutani provides high yield pearls on the following topics: drug triggers, co-morbidities, and phototherapy. Dr. Brownstone and Dr. Bhutani then spend the rest of the episode discussing clinical trials. Dr. Bhutani provides information on how residents can better understand and interpret clinical trial data in dermatology. She specifically discusses concepts such as drug efficacy, speed of onset, safety profiles, control groups and non-responder imputation.  In the final part of the episode, Dr. Brownstone asks Dr. Bhutani for tips on how residents can set up a dermatology clinical trials unit after residency. Dr. Bhutani discusses the advantages and disadvantages of running clinical trials in practice along with advice for how residents can start a clinical trials unit with little to no experience in residency.