Primary care physicians' use of an informed decision-making process for prostate cancer screening.

Purpose: Leading professional organizations acknowledge the importance of an informed decision-making process for prostate cancer screening. We describe primary care physicians' reports of their prescreening discussions about the potential harms and benefits of prostate cancer screening.

Methods: Members of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network responded to a survey that included (1) an indicator of practice styles related to discussing harms and benefits of prostate-specific antigen testing and providing a screening recommendation or letting patients decide, and (2) indicators reflecting physicians' beliefs about prostate cancer screening.

Evaluating conflicts of interest in research presented in CME venues.

Introduction: There is much in the literature regarding the potential for commercial bias in clinical research and in continuing medical education (CME), but no studies were found regarding the potential for bias in reporting original research in CME venues. This pilot study investigated the presence of perceived bias in oral and print content of research findings presented in certified CME activities.

Methods: Research presentations at two national primary care CME activities, where authors had self-reported potential conflicts of interest, were peer reviewed and monitored for perceived commercial bias.

Strategies for planning and launching PBRN research studies: a project of the Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN).

Research conducted in a practice-based research network (PBRN) differs from other multisite research and presents particular planning challenges. The American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN) has developed a number of procedures used for planning and implementing studies, which address the challenges of national PBRN studies. In this study, we highlight challenges common to PBRN research and describe the methods used by the AAFP NRN to address those challenges.

The IRB challenge for practice-based research: strategies of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN).

Investigators for multisite research studies conducted in practice-based research networks face numerous challenges associated with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and human subjects protection. The American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN) has adopted strategies to deal with some of these challenges, including creating an open, honest relationship with the new American Academy of Family Physicians Institutional Review Board (AAFP IRB); creating procedures for members who are not required to report to a local IRB; handling most of the IRB application submission and tracking tasks for our members who must submit applications to local IRBs; and working with the AAFP IRB to make required human subjects training relevant to our practices. However, these are only temporary solutions.