The Clinical Research Center of Northwest Florida (CRC-NWF) collaborates with a multi-specialty network of Board-certified physicians who conduct our clinical research trials. Our clinical research consultants recruit, manage and execute protocols for industry sponsored clinical trials.

Located in the Florida Panhandle research participants are drawn equally from the community and the clinical practice of our physicians. Our physicians engage in clinical research for professional stimulation, to experience cutting edge therapies, and to improve patient access to healthcare options which may not be otherwise accessible.

CRC-NWF requires and provides investigator GCP training; and, encourages and supports certification for all members of the research team. CRC-NWF is proud of our positive bias toward continuing education and certification.

At The Clinical Research Center of Northwest Florida we understand that the cornerstone of ethical clinical research is the informed consent. Our process enhances participant understanding, compliance and retention. Prior to the introduction of the informed consent form, all participants receive an overview of the following roles and responsibilities:

1. The pharmaceutical Sponsor initiates the trial and is concerned with marketing and business.
2. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protects the consumer with a focus on safety and efficacy for the general population.
3. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) protects the human research participant and its role has evolved through the Nuremburg Code, Tuskegee Trials, and the Belmont Report with an emphasis on autonomy, beneficence and justice.
4. The Principal Investigator (PI) conducts the trial with the appropriate training, experience, and integrity.
5. The Study Coordinator (SC) assists the PI with the conduction of trial related activities.
6. The Research Subject participates in the trial and must understand the importance of voluntary participation, compliance, therapeutic misconception and adverse event.

Our management staff has extensive clinical trial experience and we look forward to continued growth.

Our Goal

Our goal is to conduct Clinical Research with integrity and with a genuine ethical concern toward serving:

1. The protection of the research participant
2. The intellectual and compassionate needs of the investigator.
3. The reliable and valid data needs of the pharmaceutical sponsor
4. The service needs of the community

CRC-NWF staff members have research experience in the following therapeutic areas:

Actinic Keratosis Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis Allergy Alzheimer ’s disease Analgesia Anesthesia Angina Asthma Anxiety Cardiovascular Cataplexy Chronic Liver Disease Constipation-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diabetes Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome Dyspepsia Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Critical Care Devices Gastrointestinal Gram Negative Sepsis Hypertension Immuno Therapy Infectious Diseases

Influenza Intravenous Infusion Devices Multiple Sclerosis Narcolepsy Oncology Orthopedics Orthopedic Devices Overactive Bladder Pneumonia Psoriasis Psoriatic Arthritis Pulmonary Raynaud's Syndrome Renal Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Rosacea Suction Devices Tinea Capitis Tinea Unguium Ulcerative Colitis Urology Vascular Weight Management

CRC-NWF staff members have worked with the following sponsors/CROs:

3M Abbott Amgen Astra-Zeneca Aventis Biovail Boehringer-Ingleheim Braintree Laboratories, Inc. Bristol Myers Squibb DuPont Pharmaceuticals Eli Lilly Forest Genentech G&W Labs Hoffman-LaRoche Icon Lederle MediQuest Therapeutics Novartis

Novum Orphan Medical Omnicare Ortho-Biotech Pain Therapeutics Paragon Parexel Pfizer Pharmanet Pharmos Proctor & Gamble Research Pharmaceutical Services Scirex Sepracor SmithKlineBeecham TAP Holdings

CRC-NWF is located in the primary commercial area of Panama City, Florida. Our offices are only 20 minutes from both Panama City Airport and Panama City Beach’s resorts and entertainment.

CRC-NWF has access to the following specialized testing procedures and equipment:

• Bariatric Scale
• Centrifuge
• CLIA certified laboratory
• Colonoscopy
• Conference room
• CT scan
• Double-lock drug storage (locking refrigerators)
• ECG
• Freezer -30° F
• Full x-ray capabilities
• Holter monitor
• HOTV testing (ophthalmology)
• MRI
• Patient database maintained with Study Manager software
• Plethysmograph
• Professional phlebotomy chair
• Spirometer, portable
• Quality assurance personnel
• Regulatory personnel
• Secure record storage
• SPP2 testing (ophthalmology)
• Standard operating procedures
• Ultrasound

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Karen Chason, DO, PhDis licensed in Florida and is board certified in General Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Chason’s top indications are Child & Adolescent Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Geeta Khare, MDis licensed in Florida and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Allergy, Clinical Immunology. Dr. Khare’s top indications are Asthma, Allergy, Clinical Immunology, and chronic diseases.

Mariusz Jerzy Klin, MD, PhD is licensed in Florida and is board certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine.
Dr. Klin’s top indications are Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Hepatitis C, Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, and Crohn’s Disease.

Charles R. Kovaleski, MD is licensed in both Florida and Louisiana and is board certified in Dermatology.
Dr. Kovaleski’s top indications are Laser Treatments, Rosacea, Acne, Psoriasis, and Malignancies.

Amir Manzoor, MD, FACE is licensed in Florida and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology.
Dr. Manzoor’s top indications are Diabetes Mellitus and chronic diseases associated with endocrine syndrome.

Ingrid Johnson Rachesky, MD, FAAPis licensed in Florida and is board certified in Pediatrics. Dr. Rachesky’s top indications are Otitis Media, Asthma, Attention Deficit Disorder, Pediatric GERD, Endocrine, and Urinary Tract Infection.
Dr. Rachesky’s top indications are Otitis Media, Asthma, Attention Deficit Disorder, Endocrine, and Urinary Tract Infection.

Robert J. Siragusa, MD is licensed in Florida and is board certified in Dermatology.
Dr. Siragusa’s top indications are Laser Treatments, Rosacea, Acne, Psoriasis, and Malignancies.

SUB-INVESTIGATORS:

Brent Decker, PhD is licensed in Florida as a Psychologist and Mental Health Counselor. He is also licensed with the Supreme Court of Florida as a Family Mediator.
Dr. Decker’s top indications are Forensic Psychology, Clinical Sexology, and Pain Management.

Charles Byron, PA-C, MPAS is licensed in Florida and is board certified as a Physician Assistant and with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Mr. Byron’s top indications are Laser Treatments, Rosacea, Acne, Psoriasis, and Malignancies.

All CRC-NWF principal investigators and sub-investigators have received Good Clinical Practice training.

Joanne V. Scott, RN, MS, CCRA
Director of Regulatory Affairs

Ms. Scott has 18 years of clinical research experience with both drugs and devices. While employed at Abbott Laboratories, she held positions as the lead Monitor in device studies in the Hospital Products Division and as a Senior Clinical Consultant in GCP Quality Assurance in the Pharmaceutical Products Division.

For two years Ms. Scott served as Consultant Manager of GCP Quality Assurance for Biovail Technologies, Ltd. Her monitoring experience includes studies related to Alzheimer’s, Anesthesia/ Analgesia, Infectious Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Oncology, Renal Disease and Sleep Medicine. She has audited studies in the areas of Anesthesia/Analgesia, Angina, Anxiety, Asthma, Gynecology, Hypertension, Neurology, Oncology, Renal Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Vascular Medicine.

Barbara Davis, BA, NREMT-P, CCRC, CCRP
Director of Clinical Development

Ms. Davis has over 20 years of experience in adult, private, and public education, and has been a resident of Panama City since 1984. She is currently working toward her final year working toward her Master of Science degree in Clinical Research Administration at The George Washington University (anticipated graduation May 2007).

Previous clinical hospital experience includes Sacred Heart Hospital and University Hospitals of Pensacola, Florida. Ms. Davis is a certified/registered Paramedic with the Emergency Medical Services at Bay Medical Center and Gulf Coast Hospital of Panama City, Florida.

For the past four years, Ms. Davis has served CRC-NWF administration in Clinical Development Data Management and, and has participated in study coordination of Phase III trials in the areas of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Diabetes, Dyspepsia, Hypertension, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Tinea Capitis, Chronic Liver disease, and Ulcerative Colitis.

Christy Tackett, RRT, CRC
Lead Clinical Research Coordinator

Ms. Tackett has over 5 years of experience in the health and dental fields. She has been a resident of Panama City since 2000 after moving from Okinawa, Japan. Currently Ms. Tackett is working towards her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration.

In addition to her role as a Clinical Research Coordinator Ms. Tackett is also practicing as a Registered Respiratory Therapist at Bay Medical Center, Panama City, Florida. She also serves as an Adjunct Instructor in Respiratory Care at Gulf Coast Community College.

Ms. Tackett has participated in study coordination of Phase III trials in the areas of Asthma, Immunotherapy, Diabetes, and Pediatric Gerd.

CRC-NWF is located in Bay County, Florida, which has a growing population over 157,000. The primary ethnic groups represented in this area include Caucasian, African American, American Indian, and Asian.

Indications for Trials Enrolling This Summer

• Ulcerative Colitis
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Type II Diabetes
• Drug naïve Type II Diabetes
• Allergic Asthma
• Asthma in Hispanics
• Infant GERD

CenterWatch is listing the following trials that are actively recruiting patients at this center.

• Uncontrolled Diabetes is no day at the beach!

For more information, please contact:

Barbara Davis, BA, NREMT-P, CCRC, CCRP
Director of Clinical Development
The Clinical Research Center of Northwest Florida, Inc.
11 West 23rd Street, Suite B-4
Panama City, FL 32405 USA
Phone: 850-215-2536
Fax: 850-215-2539
E-mail:

If you are interested in contacting this center to discuss placing a clinical trial there, please complete and send the E-mail form below. A representative from the research center will then follow up with you.

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Last updated on August 21, 2008