Clinical trials shake-up worries researchers

Italy’s attempts to speed up approval procedures could backfire, researchers fear

A long-awaited reform of clinical trials in Italy is finally taking effect, but the slew of changes is accompanied by fears in the scientific community about unintended consequences.

In early February, Italy finally completed the full implementation of a 2014 EU regulation on clinical trials, after the minister of health approved a reform of the committees that grant ethical approval to research projects.