Research and Safety in Therapeutics Committee
Committee's role: The ASRS Research and Safety in Therapeutics (ReST) Committee is dedicated to keeping members apprised of adverse events (AEs) associated with all retina drugs and devices. The ASRS peer-to-peer reporting system serves as a post-market data and safety monitor to help protect patients. The committee works closely with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to identify and investigate AEs.
The ReST Committee has investigated numerous AEs and has alerted ASRS members about events ranging from cases of ocular inflammation/noninfectious endophthalmitis following intravitreal injections to cases of suspected fungal endophthalmitis following adjuvant-assisted vitrectomy procedures. With the assistance of staff, the ReST committee notifies members of FDA MedWatch alerts that impact the practice of retina.
The ReST Committee generates member alerts, conducts literature reviews and drafts white papers and articles published in Retina Times and JVRD to provide members with timely information about emerging events on developments and events that may impact patient safety.
Committee members
Andre J. Witkin, MD, ChairOphthalmic Consultants of Boston
New York Medical College
Duke University Eye Center
Emory Eye Center
Nikolas JS London, MD, FACS, FASRSRetina Consultants San Diego
Akshay S Thomas, MD, MS, FASRSTennessee Retina, PC
Emory Eye Center
Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University
Tennessee Retina
Retina Associates of Florida
Duke University Eye Center
Kaiser Permanente
Ferhina S Ali, MD, MPH
Durga Borkar, MD
Nieraj Jain, MD, FASRS
Sruthi Arepalli, MD
Jordan D Deaner, MD
Eric W Schneider, MD
Ivan J. Suner, MD, MBA
Lejla Vajzovic, MD, FASRS
Robin A Vora, MD