History

SCOPE is the result of the efforts of an academic-industry partnership.  In 2006, as the result of funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), a conference was held as a pre-course to the combined annual meetings of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS).  This conference, entitled “Measurement of Outcomes in Spinal Cord Injury:  A Conference to Define the Current State of the Science and Challenges for Future Development”, was the result of the work of committees established late in 2005.  The agenda consisted of presentations that reported the current state of the science in areas such as pain, gait/ambulation, neuroimaging, quality of life, functional potential, motor assessment, autonomic function, and spasticity.

Beyond the conference, the goal was for as many of these presentations as possible to become articles submitted for publication.  After this meeting, the SCOPE Steering Committee was created.  Consisting of representatives from federal agencies (NIDRR, NIH, FDA, VA R&D), and corporate SCOPE partners (Acorda Therapeutics, Alseres Pharmaceutical, NeuroMetrix (formerly Cyberkinetics), CAP Trials), and supported by academic and clinical experts from the American Spinal Injury Association, the International Campaign to Cure Paralysis (ICCP), and the International Spinal Cord Society, SCOPE moved forward with its efforts.

A second conference was planned for and executed as the pre-course to the Annual Scientific Meeting of ASIA in May of 2007.  Entitled “State of the Science in SCI Measurement, Outcomes, and Research,” the agenda built on the success of the 2006 meeting, with presentations on topics such as:  Review of preclinical concerns and ICCP guideline papers; and a series of updates on functional potential initiatives, quality of life initiatives, pain initiatives, autonomic standards, and the international data sets.  The second half of the program reviewed techniques to measure bladder function, cardiopulmonary and sudomotor function, sexual function, bowel function, and depression.  The meeting concluded with comments from a representative of the FDA, and a discussion of future potential initiatives by panelists from industry, federal and private agencies, foundations, and associations involved in the work of SCOPE.

 The third conference will be offered by SCOPE as a pre-course to the 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting of ASIA in June, and as part of the 2008 Annual Conference of the International Spinal Cord Society in September.  Entitled “Standards and Outcomes for Assessing SCI:  Integrating into Clinical Trials,” this meeting will further develop the issue of standards of measurement. Presentations will include the ASIA exam (with particular emphasis on “INSTeP” the “International Standards Training eLearning Program” (a part of the ASIA Electronic Educational Curriculum); the final version of “The Autonomic Standards;” an update of “The International Data Sets;” a report from the FDA; and a progress report on SCOPE achievements to date with a forecast for 2009.

History

Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor