National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Natcher Building, Room 5AS-13A, 45 Center Drive, MSC 6500, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6500

A -- STUDY OF EFFICACY OF GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN SULFATE IN OSTEOARTHRITIS SOL NIH-NIAMS-98-2 DUE 083198 POC Eileen Webster-Cissel, Contracting Officer, 301/594-2543 WEB: Contracts Management Branch, NIAMS, NIH, http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/rfp/rfplist.htm. E-MAIL: Eileen Webster-Cissel, ew52c@nih.gov. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in collaboration with the Office of Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, is seeking a contractor to design and conduct a multicenter clinical trial. The purpose of the clinical trial is to determine whether the oral administration of glucosamine alone or in combination with chondroitin sulfate to patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is effective in improving pain and function. The primary outcome of the study is improvement in pain. The study will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, short term treatment trial of patients with radiographic and clinical evidence of unilateral or bilateral knee OA. The entry criteria, randomization procedures, analyses, and other components of the study protocol, will be designed by the offeror. In order to recruit the desired number of subjects, the offeror will select clinical sites that will be actively involved in the enrollment, evaluation andtreatment of patients in this multicenter trial. It is anticipated that one award will be made for a period of three years and six months beginning on or about April 1, 1999. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP). RFP NIH NIAMS 98-02 will be available electronically on or about May 26, 1998, and may be accessed through the Internet at the following address: http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/rfp/rfplist.htm. Proposals will be due on or about August 31, 1998. Offerors are responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments and for routinely checking the Internet site for any possible solicitation amendments that may be issued by the Government. All responsible sources may submit proposals which will be considered by the Government. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. See Numbered Note 26.***** (0085)

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