Public attitude towards biomedical research at outpatient clinics of King Abdulaziz medical city, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to determine the attitude of Saudi Arabians to research involving storage and use of human tissues from which genetic information may be derived and to assess their willingness to donate tissue samples to biobanks. In a cross-sectional interview study of 1051 outpatients at a hospital in Riyadh city, 68.8% had a positive attitude towards biomedical research and 78.4% were willing to allow use of excess surgical tissues for research purposes. Participants were less willing to allow the use of tissue or organs from a deceased relative. Logistic regression analysis found that predictors for a positive attitude to biomedical research and to use of tissue in research were: female sex, higher level of education, previous experience of blood testing and previous participation in health-related research. The attitudes towards biomedical research among the participants were satisfactory and comparable to findings from other countries

In vitro activity of quinolones against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis in Saudi Arabia

Susceptibility of 88 clinical Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, 116 Haemophilus influenzae isolates and 80 Moraxella catarrhalis isolates to 6 fluoroquinolones--ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, trovafloxacin, grepafloxacin and gemifloxacin--were determined. Isolates were from patients with invasive disease at 4 hospitals in Saudi Arabia between 1996 and 1998. S. pneumoniae isolates were fully susceptible to trovafloxacin, grepafloxacin and gemifloxacin; susceptibility to ofloxacin and levofloxacin was 97.7% and 98.9% respectively. H. influenzae isolates were susceptible to all agents, except for trovafloxacin [99.1%]. M. catarrhalis strains were fully sensitive to all agents except ofloxacin [97.5%]. No isolates were resistant to gemifloxacin or grepafloxacin