Repurposed for a New Era: Why the Monitor is Now Clinical Researcher

"What happened to The Monitor?" is the question many members of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) may be asking when they find a new journal with a new name arriving in their mailboxes shortly. As of the April 2014 issue, the award-winning journal formerly known as The Monitor has been redesigned, rebranded, and reborn as Clinical Researcher: The Authority in Ethical, Responsible Clinical Research.

Everything that has gone into the new and already evolving Clinical Researcher is based on feedback from annual readership surveys, publication experts, ACRP Editorial Advisory Board members, and other stakeholders. These contributions have shaped how the very best in educational content can and should be presented to all members of the clinical research team and other key opinion leaders affiliated with the overall clinical research community.

The April 2014 issue of Clinical Researcher features a cover story on engaging research volunteers in clinical trials, authored by staff of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research; plus nine other peer-reviewed articles on the theme of "Optimizing Trial Performance;" and columns on a variety of hot topics in the conduct of clinical research.

Beyond renaming the journal to make it more inclusive of the Association's broad membership, the editors and designers are now packaging each issue's Home Study articles with their associated test (a popular source of continuing education credits for members) for readers' convenience and adding visual appeal to more of the content. Value is also being added through other changes, some evident in this issue and others to come, that focus the contents of Clinical Researcher ever more closely on timely and cutting-edge topics across the spectrum of the conduct of clinical trials.

The Monitor began as a modest, newsletter-style publication developed in-house by ACRP in the 1980s when the Association offered its main educational articles in a separate journal produced by an external publisher. The Monitor was eventually upgraded to be ACRP's official journal and cornerstone member benefit in 1996, and started offering continuing education credit through Home Study. Its basic design was last updated along with ACRP's logo rebranding in February 2008. However, much has changed in the clinical research enterprise at both the local and global scale since then, and this new era demanded a new kind of journal.

The first issue of the new Clinical Researcher is available for free online viewing to members and non-members alike at www.acrpnet.org/clinicalresearcher. To enjoy future issues and the many other benefits of membership, interested parties are invited to visit www.acrpnet.org/membership.