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Hi everyone, this is John Mandrola from the Heart.org Medscape Cardiology and this is this week in

cardiology for January 10th, 2020. This week more on the Excel trial,

peripartum cardiomyopathy, marathoning, hot spotting, and leadership

and innovation.

My friends, there will soon be a week when the news does not involve the controversial

Excel trial of Left Main PCI versus bypass surgery, but that week is not here yet.

Patrice Wenling reports that the Cardiovascular Research

Foundation, CRF, has authorized an independent review to examine its role in

the XL trial.

A non-profit organization was engaged at the outset of the trial by the Excel sponsor Abbott,

and that was to organize independent clinical endpoint committees and to perform specific analyses.

Quote, because of our commitment to excellence, we have commissioned an independent review of the matter, a CRF spokesperson said in a statement.

Now this review will only address CRF's role in the study, not the Excel results themselves.

The spokesperson also said or declined to say who is

...