title: An international survey of physicians regarding clinical trials: a comparison between Kyoto University Hospital and Seoul National University Hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International clinical trials are now rapidly expanding into Asia. However, the proportion of global trials is higher in South Korea compared to Japan despite implementation of similar governmental support in both countries. The difference in clinical trial environment might influence the respective physicians' attitudes and experience towards clinical trials. Therefore, we designed a questionnaire to explore how physicians conceive the issues surrounding clinical trials in both countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire survey was conducted at Kyoto University Hospital (KUHP) and Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in 2008. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions and 2 open-ended questions on broad key issues relating to clinical trials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of responders was 301 at KUHP and 398 at SNUH. Doctors with trial experience were 196 at KUHP and 150 at SNUH. Among them, 12% (24/196) at KUHP and 41% (61/150) at SUNH had global trial experience. Most respondents at both institutions viewed clinical trials favorably and thought that conducting clinical trials contributed to medical advances, which would ultimately lead to new and better treatments. The main reason raised as a hindrance to conducting clinical trials was the lack of personnel support and time. Doctors at both university hospitals thought that more clinical research coordinators were required to conduct clinical trials more efficiently. KUHP doctors were driven mainly by pure academic interest or for their desire to find new treatments, while obtaining credits for board certification and co-authorship on manuscripts also served as motivation factors for doctors at SNUH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results revealed that there might be two different approaches to increase clinical trial activity. One is a social level approach to establish clinical trial infrastructure providing sufficient clinical research professionals. The other is an individual level approach that would provide incentives to encourage doctors to participate in and conduct clinical trials.
authors.forename: Toshiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito-Ihara
authors.forename: Jeong-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Ock-Joo
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Soo-Youn
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Narita
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatta
authors.forename: Eun-Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyu-Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Innovative Medicine, Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Kawaharacho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. yokode@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokode
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires