Unrealistic portrayals of clinical research

First, I hate to admit I even watch Grey's Anatomy. It's such a soap opera. But I have had to laugh in recent weeks about the portrayal of Meredith and Derek's clinical trial. First of all, Meredith has some epiphany, makes some discovery in text book and just decides she wants to do a clinical trial. Of course, first, she has to find an attending to sign off. But Derek signs on and next week they are enrolling their first patient. HA! In the real world, that's not all she has to do. I guess it just isn't sexy showing the months and years of laboratory research, institutional review board applications, grant applications and reapplications and the months of waiting for IRB approval, and then several rounds of amended applications.

And then in this week's episode, the chief of surgery approached Meredith and said the institutional review board, the national review board that oversees clinical trials, is concerned because she has had 11 deaths and she has one more chance before midnight to enroll and treat a patient. What is this, Cinderella? First of all, the institutional review board is local, not national. There would be someone breathing down her neck right at her hospital. And there are no "one more chances in clinical research." If an IRB thinks a trial is dangerous, they are not afraid to shut a trial down immediately. But in Meredith's world, she sneaks in two more patients, one of them lives, the trial continues, and she even gets her man in the end.

I know, I know, television dramas have always had an unrealistic view of the practice of medicine and the medical profession. These shows are about entertainment, not education. But I believe the writers are selling their viewers short by speeding through the research process. There certainly is great drama and story in the less flashy parts of research. But maybe that's just the researcher in me talking.