Maurie Markman, MD

Articles

It Is Time to Reexamine Control Arms in Phase 3 Trials

December 23rd 2021

Maurie Markman, MD on strategies to appropriately evaluate small but clinically relevant patient subsets for whom traditional phase 3 randomized clinical trials are difficult, if not impossible, to complete in a realistically timely manner.

Oncology Drug Regulation Faces an Uncertain Future

December 1st 2021

Maurie Markman, MD, discusses how agency leaders should be encouraged to improve regulatory science, include a patient’s perspective in approval decisions, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and costs associated with the conduct of trials, and accelerate the overall review process for drug approval.

Beyond the Peer-Review Publication: Addressing Implications of Research for Patients

November 4th 2021

Maurie Markman, MD, discusses the need for peer-reviewed publications to encourage further discussion and debate, challenge existing ideas or dogma, or provide support for current biological concepts or in the clinical realm for treatment of patients.

The Challenging Future of the FDA in the Cancer Arena

October 25th 2021

Maurie Markman, MD, highlights the ongoing regulatory concerns that demand attention of the FDA in the cancer arena amidst evolving issues regarding COVID-19.

Challenges to Scientific Expertise: Future Implications for Oncology

October 12th 2021

The continued uncertainties of the current and future status of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a lack of trust in the authority of the scientific establishment in the United States, and elsewhere, as it operates during these difficult times.

Questions Loom for the Adequacy of Peer Review in Oncology

October 4th 2021

There has been limited discussion in the cancer literature for how peer review among the multiple oncology journals and international cancer conferences is conducted.

Untangling Fact From Bias in the Age of Social Media and Mistrust

September 2nd 2021

It is difficult to overstate the confusion associated with our nation’s messaging regarding a well-considered, rational, and scientifically based public health–focused approach to the current and future ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Misinformation on Cancer Prevention Stems from COVID-19 Communication Efforts

August 15th 2021

One year ago, few objective observers would have suggested that the percentage of individuals who are currently fully vaccinated is less than 30%, despite the well-documented real-world success data for the vaccines in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations, and death from COVID-19 infection.

Gaps Persist in Understanding the Fundamentals of Informed Consent

July 14th 2021

Within the hierarchy of clinical trials, phase 3 randomized studies remain the gold standard, though some argue that appropriately designed meta-analysis of multiple studies provides even more definitive and meaningful insight.

Scientific Communication Requires a Course Correction

July 2nd 2021

The overall picture related to COVID-19 in the Unites States is encouraging, and we might suspect that the American public would be relatively united with favorable views of efforts of public health officials and organizations at the national, state, and local levels to successfully control this terrible event and return us to our prepandemic state.

Precision Medicine Presents a Disconnect in Oncology Practice

June 16th 2021

Multiple FDA approvals and an increasing number of clinical trials examining molecular target–based therapeutics, including second- or even third-generation drugs against a well-defined target, present an ever-widening array of drugs for routine cancer care based on the discovery of specific molecular targets within the tumor or within the germline.

COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy Finds Echo in Cancer Care

June 1st 2021

Although the COVID-19 vaccine rollout is unprecedented in speed and scope, the process of postapproval surveillance has been shown to be robust and should serve as a source of reassurance to the public regarding the effectiveness of the initial and follow-up review process.

Reaching Conclusions From Limited Data Holds Pitfalls

May 13th 2021

The challenges of assessing COVID-19 vaccines shows that events in the real world may differ from those of a formal objective scientific analysis, especially in a setting where such evaluations of necessity involve very small numbers.

Missteps Highlight the Need for Objectivity in Science

April 30th 2021

Although the spectacular success associated with the development of several safe and highly efficacious vaccines and therapies for COVID-19 has once again confirmed the remarkable impact of advancements on public and individual health, we must also acknowledge recent stunning examples of the failure of scientifically oriented government agencies to provide objectively valid nonpolitical recommendations, policies, and conclusions.

Clinical Progress Creates Need for Decision-Support Tools

April 20th 2021

The current endorsement of 3 COVID-19 vaccines in the United States, with several additional products pending FDA review, in less than 1 year from the identification of the structure of the COVID-19 virus is simply remarkable.

Public Health Communication Gaps Extend to Cancer Care

April 6th 2021

In the cancer arena, COVID-19 information problems highlight the critical role of clear, honest, and effective communication with the public, patients, and their families regarding the increasing complexity of a multitude of topics related to malignant disease and its management.

Optimism Plays a Vital Role in Outcomes for Patients With Cancer

March 14th 2021

Evolving data provide provocative support for the relevance of an optimistic vs a pessimistic perspective in influencing outcomes in serious malignant conditions.

It’s Time to Rethink 4 Unique Cancer Terms

February 20th 2021

When one is dealing with the topic of cancer, its treatment and consequences, language that clinicians and members of the cancer research community use may have an even greater impact.

Cancer Staging and Toxicity Framework Should Be Overhauled for the Modern Era

February 8th 2021

Formerly, small cell lung cancer was generally considered more chemotherapy sensitive in the short term but also associated with an overall inferior survival outcome; however, the difference in prognosis compared with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer was measured in months—rarely longer.

Dr. Markman on the Need for Comparative Trials With PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer

February 3rd 2021

Maurie Markman, MD, discusses the need for comparative clinical trials with PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer.