A Special Request to ALSA, MDA, ALSTDI, Packard Center

If Grumpy's thoughts about "What Would Lou Gehrig Do?" are far too much of an organizational stretch for you all, here's an idea that is a very small step that would save you all some expense and would give PALS better information.

This morning I was searching online clinical trial information to see where I could find data on completed trials' results. In the course of my little Google adventure, I found that you all have developed your own clinical trial databases to display information on your websites. When I put the information side-by-side, some are more complete or more current than others, but all appear to be attempting to provide the exact same service to PALS.

There are tools available that would let one repository show on each of your websites as if it were your own (see products such as Caspio Bridge if you're interested). You can keep your branding and still share a database with other websites.

There is also a site available from our own government that has a nice clinical trial search engine and gives data on enrollment, content, and even shows some results (which was the information I was after in the first place).

So if you want to save some expense and if you are willing to collaborate on something simple in order to provide better data for PALS, how about doing a shared database of clinical trial information... or even better, just agree to direct people to the government site that maintains data for all trials and will even let people search by sponsor?

The first of you to see an opportunity here and step forward will be applauded by PALS everywhere. In the meantime, above is the trail of expensive, redundant web development and maintenance that your donors are funding. I rest my case.