When Dr. Steven Goodman, vice chancellor for research at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, arrived at the college more than two years ago, his ambition was to launch a statewide clinical trials network. That idea has now become a reality, with the creation of the Clinical Trials Network of Tennessee that’s operating as a separate, 501(c)(3) subsidiary of the university’s research foundation.
The network was created, according to the university, to enable its clinical research faculty to design and conduct statewide clinical trials that help advance new drugs and medical devices. The effort was put into a clearinghouse that’s separate from the university so that CTN2 can help cut down on administrative functions and provide a more streamlined budgeting and contracting process for what will be a multi-institution initiative.