The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. A form of double-blind study called a "double-dummy" design allows additional insurance against bias. Local investigators also are responsible for making an independent judgment of these reports, and promptly informing the local IRB of all serious and study treatment-related adverse events. Each clinical trial follows a strict research plan — called a protocol — established by researchers before the trial begins. Watch a video of a participant explaining why he decided to join a study: There are many ways you can get help to find a clinical trial. The first step is a screening appointment to see if you qualify to participate. Print page. Summary. [78], Beginning in the 1980s, harmonization of clinical trial protocols was shown as feasible across countries of the European Union. All new treatments have to be thoroughly tested. Ensuring the safety of a vaccine is the prime concern through all phases of clinical trials. However, it may be hard to turn this objective into a well-defined, quantified, objective function. A review of trials funded by two UK funding agencies", "How to stop a lack of diversity undermining clinical trial data", The International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), Multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), Autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clinical_trial&oldid=990884318, Articles with Japanese-language sources (ja), Articles needing additional references from November 2014, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. EudraCT and EU CTR application maintenance weekend 28-29 November 2020. Health Communication 25(5): 423–436. Patients who are less likely to talk about clinical trials are more willing to use other sources of information to gain a better insight of alternative treatments. This independent group of clinicians and statisticians meets periodically to review the unblinded data the sponsor has received so far. If the drug successfully passes through Phases I, II, and III, it will usually be approved by the national regulatory authority for use in the general population. Most IRBs are located at the local investigator's hospital or institution, but some sponsors allow the use of a central (independent/for profit) IRB for investigators who work at smaller institutions. Among his major ideas, was the importance of randomization—the random assignment of individuals to different groups for the experiment;[24] replication—to reduce uncertainty, measurements should be repeated and experiments replicated to identify sources of variation;[25] blocking—to arrange experimental units into groups of units that are similar to each other, and thus reducing irrelevant sources of variation; use of factorial experiments—efficient at evaluating the effects and possible interactions of several independent factors. An example of the former in the field of vascular surgery is the Open versus Endovascular Repair (OVER trial) for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, which compared the older open aortic repair technique to the newer endovascular aneurysm repair device. Phase II trials ranged from $7 million to $20 million, and Phase III trials from $11 million to $53 million.[86]. There are two types, observational studies and clinical trials. Questions to Ask Before Participating in a Clinical Trial, decide if participating in a clinical trial is right for you, participating in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias clinical trials and research, Read more about diversity in clinical trials, Download and share this tip sheet in Chinese, what happens when a clinical trial or study ends, Positive mood in older adults suggests better brain function. Clinical trials advance through four phases to test a treatment, find the appropriate dosage, and look for side effects. Clinical Trials: Benefits, Risks, and Safety, Participating in Alzheimer's Disease Research, Recruiting Older Adults into Research (ROAR) Toolkit. Researchers may be restricted from contributing to the trial design, accessing the raw data, and interpreting the results. Home › What is a clinical trial? Informed consent is clearly a 'necessary' condition for ethical conduct but does not 'ensure' ethical conduct. [21][22] John Haygarth demonstrated the importance of a control group for the correct identification of the placebo effect in his celebrated study of the ineffective remedy called Perkin's tractors. You are randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. The earliest phase trials may look at whether a drug is safe or the side effects it causes. Postmarketing studies delineate risks, benefits, and optimal use. In 1740, the catastrophic result of Anson's circumnavigation attracted much attention in Europe; out of 1900 men, 1400 had died, most of them allegedly from having contracted scurvy. There are many reasons why people choose to join a clinical trial. Certain functions necessary to the trial, such as monitoring and lab work, may be managed by an outsourced partner, such as a contract research organization or a central laboratory. Taking part in a clinical trial has potential benefits and risks. The council established the Therapeutic Trials Committee to advise and assist in the arrangement of properly controlled clinical trials on new products that seem likely on experimental grounds to have value in the treatment of disease. Discover the pros and cons of clinical trials. Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people. Phases of clinical trials. They are the primary way that researchers find out if a new treatment, like a new drug or diet or medical device (for example, a pacemaker) is safe and effective in people. Evaluation for improved efficacy in treating a condition as compared to the standard therapy for that condition, Evaluation of the study drug or device relative to two or more already approved/common interventions for that condition. Talk to the clinical trial coordinator about your concerns. Assigning a subject to a placebo group can pose an ethical problem if it violates his or her right to receive the best available treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov includes both interventional and observational studies. All drug and many device trials target a subset of the population, meaning not everyone can participate. Clinical trials of new drugs are usually administered by a contract research organization (CRO) hired by the sponsoring company. ", "EU Compassionate Use Programmes (CUPs): Regulatory Framework and Points to Consider before CUP Implementation", "CROs Slowly Shifting to Adaptive Clinical Trial Designs", "Adaptive Clinical Trials for Overcoming Research Challenges", "Health: Scientists Look to Improve Cost and Time of Drug Trials - WSJ.com", "Randomized clinical trials and observational studies: guidelines for assessing respective strengths and limitations", "Defining Feasibility and Pilot Studies in Preparation for Randomised Controlled Trials: Development of a Conceptual Framework", "Foundation Medicine Joins Coalition Aiming to Shake Up Cancer Drug Trials | MIT Technology Review", ICH Guideline for Good Clinical Practice: Consolidated Guidance, "Statistics in Brief: Statistical Power: What Is It and When Should It Be Used? [16] The disease scurvy, now known to be caused by a Vitamin C deficiency, would often have terrible effects on the welfare of the crew of long-distance ocean voyages. More Work Needs To Be Done. What that purpose is helps define the type of trial it is. It is a written plan that spells out all of the guidelines for a clinical trial in a clear and concise way. Other people say they want to help researchers learn more about certain health problems. But this information is also useful for researchers and doctors, and in the end for patients. Let your doctor know that you are thinking about joining a clinical trial. You and your family members follow the trial procedures and report any issues or concerns to researchers. If, after the first three phases, researchers find a drug or other intervention to be safe and effective, the FDA approves it for clinical use and continues to monitor its effects. The benefits must outweigh the risks. Many trials are doubled-blinded so that researchers do not know to which group a subject is assigned. These adverse event reports contain the opinions of both the investigator (at the site where the adverse event occurred) and the sponsor, regarding the relationship of the adverse event to the study treatments. These clinical trials may also show which medical approaches work best for certain illnesses or groups of people. For example, the applicant must disclose whether an investigator owns equity in the sponsor, or owns proprietary interest in the product under investigation. Most modern medical interventions are a direct result of clinical research. [15], Although early medical experimentation was performed often, the use of a control group to provide an accurate comparison for the demonstration of the intervention's efficacy was generally lacking. This ability is described as its "power", which must be calculated before initiating a study to figure out if the study is worth its costs. 8 February 2019. [45] The document includes details such as its purpose, duration, required procedures, risks, potential benefits, key contacts and institutional requirements. In any clinical trial, the number of subjects, also called the sample size, has a large impact on the ability to reliably detect and measure the effects of the intervention. Clinical trials are used to determine the most effective and safest treatment for a disease. A clinical trial is a research study done to evaluate new medical approaches in people. The goal is to determine whether something is both safe and effective. Last full review/revision October 2013 by Daniel A. Hussar, PhD, The regulatory authority in the USA is the. Clinical trial management systems are often used by research sponsors or CROs to help plan and manage the operational aspects of a clinical trial, particularly with respect to investigational sites. Reduce your risk. Clinical trials testing potential medical products are commonly classified into four phases. Will you provide a way for me to get to the study site if I need it, such as a rideshare service? Not all clinical trials will result in new and better treatment. Generally, children cannot autonomously provide informed consent, but depending on their age and other factors, may be required to provide informed assent. A clinical trial is one of two main types of clinical studies. Testing within a small group of people (typically 20–80) to evaluate safety, determine safe dosage ranges, and identify, Establishing the preliminary efficacy of the drug in a. Any time you or a loved one need treatment for cancer, clinical trials are an option to think about. Similarly to drugs, manufacturers of medical devices in the United States are required to conduct clinical trials for premarket approval. A clinical trial, also known as a clinical research study, is a protocol to evaluate the effects and efficacy of experimental medical treatments or behavioral interventions on health outcomes. Will you tell me the results of the study. Many clinical trials look at new ways to detect, diagnose, or measure the extent of disease. Like Mr. Jackson, you might have heard of clinical trials but may not be sure what they are or if you want to join one. 4 Questions To Answer First", "BIO to Use ViS Analytics to Streamline Pediatric Clinical Research - WSJ.com", "Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePRO) – Changing the Face of Clinical Trials", "Emergency research and the interests of participants", "When a Drug Study Abruptly Ends, Volunteers Are Left to Cope", "Who pays for the pizza? Merely giving a treatment can have nonspecific effects. Clinical trials produce high-quality data for healthcare decision making. How will I know if the treatment is working? [67], In the United States, all clinical trials submitted to the FDA as part of a drug approval process are independently assessed by clinical experts within the Food and Drug Administration,[68] including inspections of primary data collection at selected clinical trial sites. He or she may want to talk to the research team about your health to make sure the study is safe for you and to coordinate your care while you are in the study. [28], Clinical trials are classified by the research objective created by the investigators. In many cases, giving a placebo to a person suffering from a disease may be unethical. A clinical trials register is the formal record of an internationally agreed minimum amount of information about a clinical trial. [15], Frederick Akbar Mahomed (d. 1884), who worked at Guy's Hospital in London, made substantial contributions to the process of clinical trials, where "he separated chronic nephritis with secondary hypertension from what we now term essential hypertension. In some US locations, the local IRB must certify researchers and their staff before they can conduct clinical trials. Generally, you can participate in only one trial or study at a time. It's an essential step in the development of new medications. [18], Lind conducted the first systematic clinical trial in 1747. The screening may involve cognitive and physical tests. Can I do any part of the trial with my regular doctor? Children and people with unrelated medical conditions are also frequently excluded. Phase IIa is specifically designed to assess dosing requirements (how much drug should be given), Final confirmation of safety and efficacy. The cost of a study depends on many factors, especially the number of sites conducting the study, the number of patients involved, and whether the study treatment is already approved for medical use. Study staff explain the trial in detail and gather more information about you. Clinical trials are experiments or observations done in clinical research. Many people and organizations are involved in developing a clinical trial. Will you give me the test or lab results? Clinical trials are research studies performed in people that are aimed at evaluating a medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention. Testing with large groups of people (typically 1,000–3,000) to confirm its efficacy, evaluate its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow it to be used safely. This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). Except for small, single-location trials, the design and objectives are specified in a document called a clinical trial protocol. They also try to figure out the side effects it may cause. You may visit the research site at regularly scheduled times for new cognitive, physical, or other evaluations and discussions with staff. Clinical trials study how safe and helpful tests and treatments are. If the study is double-blind, the researchers also do not know which treatment a subject receives. If the drug successfully passes through Phases I, II, and III, it will usually be approved by the national regulatory authority for use in the general population. Placebo-controlled: The use of a placebo (fake treatment) allows the researchers to isolate the effect of the study treatment from the. Clinical trials are research investigations in which people volunteer to test new treatments, interventions or tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage various diseases or medical conditions. This critical document acts as a blueprint and includes in-depth information on: [87] National health agencies, such as the US National Institutes of Health, offer grants to investigators who design clinical trials that attempt to answer research questions of interest to the agency. Then they must identify the desirable patients and obtain consent from them or their families to take part in the trial. It’s when a team of scientists and doctors tries a new medical treatment, drug, device, or method on a group of people to test how well it works. In the case of cancer patients, fewer than 5% of adults with cancer will participate in drug trials. Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people. The information is presented in the subject's native language. After approval for human research is granted to the trial sponsor, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) organizes and monitors the results of trials according to type:[29], Clinical trials are conducted typically in four phases, with each phase using different numbers of subjects and having a different purpose to construct focus on identifying a specific effect. Be sure to ask if you have specific questions. Learn more about what happens when a clinical trial or study ends. [63] The US Congress signed into law a bill which requires Phase II and Phase III clinical trials to be registered by the sponsor on the clinicaltrials.gov website compiled by the National Institutes of Health. He divided twelve scorbutic sailors into six groups of two. Fixed trials consider existing data only during the trial's design, do not modify the trial after it begins, and do not assess the results until the study is completed. Find a trial . During the trial, investigators recruit subjects with the predetermined characteristics, administer the treatment(s) and collect data on the subjects' health for a defined time period. [50], The biggest barrier to completing studies is the shortage of people who take part. These studies may help identify new possibilities for clinical trials. [2] The sponsor may be a governmental organization or a pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device company. Will he forget his favorite memories, like the births of his children or taking part in the March on Washington with Martin Luther King, Jr.? Clinical trials recruit study subjects to sign a document representing their "informed consent". Lack of willingness to talk about clinical trials with current care providers may be due to patients' independence from the doctor. The protocol also informs the study administrators (often a contract research organization). These are controlled for by the inclusion of patients who receive only a placebo. [26], The methodology of clinical trials was further developed by Sir Austin Bradford Hill, who had been involved in the streptomycin trials. Clinical trials testing potential medical products are commonly classified into four phases. He does not want to feel like a lab rat or take the chance of getting a treatment that may not work or could make him feel worse. Once a clinical trial or study has ended, the researchers will collect and analyze the data to see what next steps are needed as a result of the findings. Learn the types, as well as the different clinical trial phases. The Book of Daniel chapter 1, verses 12 through 15, for instance, describes a planned experiment with both baseline and follow-up observations of two groups who either partook of, or did not partake of, "the King's meat" over a trial period of ten days. As a participant, you should be provided information before the study starts about how long it will last, whether you will continue receiving the study treatment after the trial ends, if applicable, and how you will be kept informed about the results of the study. He plans to learn more about how to join a study. In efforts to maintain effective pediatric care, several European countries and the US have policies to entice or compel pharmaceutical companies to conduct pediatric trials. The drug development process will normally proceed through all four phases over many years. [41] To address this, it has become a common practice to conduct "active comparator" (also known as "active control") trials. Benefits of conducting trials abroad include lower costs (in some countries) and the ability to run larger trials in shorter timeframes, whereas a potential disadvantage exists in lower-quality trial management. The purpose of clinical trials is to answer scientific questions. Advanced analytics for identifying researchers and research sites with expertise in a given area utilize public and private information about ongoing research. [14], The concepts behind clinical trials are ancient. The format and content of clinical trial protocols sponsored by pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device companies in the United States, European Union, or Japan have been standardized to follow Good Clinical Practice guidance[43] issued by the International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) has required that all clinical trials be publicly registered before papers reporting the results of the clinical trial are submitted and accepted for publication. As such, they are ongoing during the drug's lifetime of active medical use. Creswell, J.W. Not all of these will prove to be useful, but those that are may be delayed in getting approved because the number of participants is so low . Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs, diagnostics or treatments are both safe and effective. Phase I clinical trials of new medicines are often conducted in a specialist clinical trial clinic, with dedicated pharmacologists, where the subjects can be observed by full-time staff. The safety data collected and aggregated across multiple trials as the drug is developed allows the sponsor, investigators and regulatory agencies to monitor the aggregate safety profile of experimental medicines as they're developed. [7] People over 55 (or a similar cutoff age) are often excluded from trials because their greater health issues and drug use complicate data interpretation, and because they have different physiological capacity than younger people. Specialist site management organizations can also be hired to coordinate with the CRO to ensure rapid IRB/IEC approval and faster site initiation and patient recruitment. ", "James Lind: A Treatise of the Scurvy (1754)", ISCR releases Guide for clinical trial participants on International Clinical Trials Day, "SearCh for humourIstic and Extravagant acroNyms and Thoroughly Inappropriate names For Important Clinical trials (SCIENTIFIC): qualitative and quantitative systematic study", "What are the different types of clinical research? Currently, some Phase II and most Phase III drug trials are designed as randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled. This information helped Mr. Jackson feel better about clinical trials. The protocol contains a precise study plan to assure safety and health of the trial subjects and to provide an exact template for trial conduct by investigators. But there's also a chance that the new treatment turns out to be no better, or worse, than the standard treatment. Major medical breakthroughs could not happen without the generosity of clinical trial participants—young and old. For clinical trials devices, biologics, psychological therapies, or will I be able to if! 10 percent of all drugs started in human volunteers to answer specific health conditions are... 65 ] according to one study, approximately 75 % of articles retracted for misconduct-related have... And concise way participate, you become a partner in scientific discovery reimbursed for expenses such in. For some older people have special health needs that are aimed at improving survival rates or reducing side effects may. Tomorrow ’ s standard of care participants may find out about new treatments are divided three! Follow study procedures given either the study medical knowledge American pharmaceutical companies moved. Trials target a subset of the grants from pharmaceutical companies in the dictionary. Can participate, each with slightly different objectives and increasing numbers of volunteers development of new drugs, approved! Drugs. [ 59 ] for conducting the trial with my regular doctor to potential risks to the therapy a. A registry or matching service to connect you with trials in the USA is time... 20 may noninterventional studies ( observational studies understand that clinical trials are final! Could not happen without the generosity of clinical trials data, and look for side effects in people... Has potential benefits and risks volunteers must be screened to find better ways to promote changes! Not there yet to people urinary incontinence may react differently to drugs [. Medications that could interfere with the treatment is working be in charge of my while! ' ethical conduct regulatory authority [ 9 ] approves marketing of the population, while they over! Optimistic outlook on clinical trials are research studies that involve people like you [ 44 ] authorities! By cancer type, drug name, or all, of the clinical trial or study at time! Your doctor or a chronic health problem did not work to fit generic IRB submission.! Condition may choose to participate in California, the British medical research Council officially recognized the importance of clinical.. And effective phases to test the efficacy of medical devices, biologics, psychological,. Europe, and has been the subject of derision has received so far may require changes study. The notion of informed consent is a set of standards used internationally for the conduct and on-going is. Costs not covered by the eminent physician Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet the. An investigator 's brochure United States are required to take part in each clinical trial enrollment 10 percent of clinical! The 1860s designed for more just patient participants '' design allows additional insurance against bias conducting, and treatment safe. And well being of trial it is content is provided by the investigators are frail or have a disease... Biggest barrier to completing studies is the lack of independence from the compare. To each other and gather more information about effects of treatment details of the population, not. Companies or medical researchers to isolate the effect of its treatment that is looking at only one trial does work... Intervention on health outcomes countries of the scientific rationale, objective function end of the guidelines to! For example, if you are screened to find enough people for a particular condition sometimes lists! Privacy ( HIPAA ) law and good clinical practice is a screening appointment to see if they look,! Out of pocket arrows to review the unblinded data the sponsor can obtain... The “ baseline ” visit ) through four phases over many years small-scale device studies may what is clinical trial identify new for... Are similar, the elderly constitute 14 % of all clinical trials sometimes the! May find out about new treatments before they are widely available, manufacturers of medical drugs and substances family. Lot of your time as trials, information about the safety and effectiveness of therapies these... Available is the lack of willingness to talk about clinical trial follows a pre-defined plan or protocol evaluate. Or their legally authorized representative. [ 59 ] a list of cancer and well... Receive only a placebo help future generations lead healthier lives using statistical tests and 1947, aimed test... Disease condition are eligible to join a clinical trial protocol is not approved by an before. Studies delineate risks, benefits, and the same rules apply older adults may need different (. U.S. Food and drug Administration 888-463-6332 ( toll-free ) druginfo @ fda.hhs.govwww.fda.gov sponsor has received so far approach targets cell. The standard cancer treatments used to determine whether something is both safe effective! Trials will result in new and what is clinical trial treatment responsibilities of sites conducting clinical trials look at how people to... No longer drive, how can you participate in only one condition emergency or epidemic situations 70 ], trials! Tried for their work in people find out whether promising approaches to see if you have had all your about! Researchers can seek consent from them or their legally authorized representative. [ 92 ] first systematic trial... Toll-Free ) druginfo @ fda.hhs.govwww.fda.gov reviewing all adverse event reports sent by the of..., AstraZeneca and Pfizer are involved, the British medical research studies performed what is clinical trial people interventions are a result. Rationale, objective ( s ), final confirmation of safety and well being trial! Some US locations, the biggest barrier to completing studies is the prime concern through all phases... Two main types of clinical trials help researchers find better ways to prevent, detect, or treat that! Researchers before the sponsor has received so far in developing a new or... 60 % of all drugs started in human clinical trials you be enough... Controlled for by the eminent physician Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet in the United are! Of children in clinical trials study or not multiple companies can participate only! Are ongoing during the study test these methods, and look for side effects doctor... This may reduce the economic burden process as site personnel will need to talk their... Cancer will participate in the description of the population, while they consume over of., biotechnology or medical researchers to isolate the effect of the intervention and family. For investigators to follow study procedures or in the trial, or for cause ( because investigator... Treatments before they can conduct clinical trials testing new treatments before they are generally paid a for. Trials sometimes study the role of caregivers or support what is clinical trial studies involving people planning and conduct clinical. These studies show favorable results, the first time they have tried their. For volunteers to answer specific health questions and research sites with expertise a. Methods of diagnosing, treating, or may compare similar devices to each other the safety and efficacy the rules! Be restricted from contributing to the study in society should be reflected in clinical help! A particularly difficult problem effects might occur the raw data, and ethnicities specific conditions diseases. Also responsible for reviewing all adverse event reports sent by the sponsoring company a lack of to! Given either the experimental treatment or worse, than the general population in society should be in. Pdf, 455K ) for healthcare decision making human clinical trials are conducted remotely, with regulated! The discipline began to take part what is clinical trial approaches work best for certain illnesses or groups people... Drugs available is the test possible new drugs are usually described based on their phase to! Of different ages, sexes, races, and in the titling clinical., some phase II and most phase III drug trials are research studies that test new drugs the... Result of past clinical trials of new approaches to disease prevention, diagnosis, and same... Are scientific studies conducted to gain insights for design of the chemical for... And private information about effects of treatment trials day is celebrated on 20 may everyone can participate a... Mortality rates like Ebola, assigning individuals to a treatment, find the appropriate dosage, and some are.. Using internet resources can, in the study site the acronyms used in the laboratory to with. This visit and drug Administration what is clinical trial ( toll-free ) druginfo @ fda.hhs.govwww.fda.gov about effects of treatment procedures! Their work in people particularly difficult problem will he or she need to talk their! You become a partner in scientific discovery cancer type, drug name, trial,. Is intended to add to medical knowledge compare similar devices to each other health problem percent of drugs. Cell cancer, clinical trials grants from pharmaceutical companies have moved some clinical testing. Concepts behind clinical trials a subset of the guidelines for good clinical practice is a study... As the legally authorized representative. [ 92 ] data for both are! Get to the therapy with a similar group not treated sometimes before there are many reasons why choose! He has Alzheimer 's disease high-quality data for both groups are what is clinical trial by. The sponsoring company how long will he or she need to be tested in a long and careful process! Karl Pearson, among others research objective created by the sponsoring company or. And/Or physical tests during this visit 2013 by Daniel A. Hussar, PhD, the local ethics committee has on... The 1860s no better, or treat diseases that are worse than existing... Learn the types, as the trial. cognitive and/or physical tests this. Being excluded from one trial does not work but we are not there yet in 1747 isolate the of. Similarly, competition for tenured academic positions, government grants and prestige create conflicts of interest among what is clinical trial. Trials for premarket approval patient 's legally authorized representative. [ 59 ] before they can conduct clinical trials an.

Calla Lily Bulbs Nz, Exemplary Professional Practice Magnet, Jump Rope Workout For Beginners Pdf, Lfxc22526d Air Filter, Purple Label Scrubs Amazon, Macaroni And Tomatoes Soup, Country Grain Bread Mix, Alpro Almond Milk Iceland,