• Octagon Research Solutions (Wayne, Pennsylvania) reported the introduction of a new service offering, CheckPoint. This service provides over 300 separate validation checks of electronic clinical study data to ensure compliance with the CDISC SDTM. CheckPoint is a three-tiered offering that enables clients to choose basic validation services, which include the same 105 validation checks that the agency runs once submission data is received, and also includes an additional four checks for JANUS. Enhanced validation includes the basic checks plus an additional 200 checks that confirm SDTM compliance. These checks have been developed as a result of Octagon's extensive experience converting over 250 studies and 3,500 datasets to SDTM-compliant format.

• Orfit Industries America (Jericho, New York) reported the expansion of its North American operations to give hospital-based and freestanding cancer centers faster access to their high-precision patient immobilization systems, which use Efficast thermoplastic masks. Efficast head, neck, and shoulder masks feature a thermoplastic anchored with multiple, independent fixation points. This design offers stability, reducing movement to less than 2 mm for improved treatment accuracy. The silky, non-stick material enhances patient comfort, ensures an excellent skin sparing effect, while providing high-precision immobilization. Orfit makes thermoplastic materials for the physical rehabilitation (splinting) and technical orthopedics (orthoses, prosthetic sockets) markets.