INC Research signs partnership with Society for Clinical Research Sites

28-May-2014 - Last updated on 29-May-2014 at 13:06 GMT

CRO INC Research has inked a two-year partnership with the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) to become a more active voice in the site investigator community.

INC will participate as a Global Impact Partner in the society, which is the highest level of membership. As a participant on the SCRS Global Impact Board, INC will work with SCRS’ Leadership Council to set strategic initiatives for the society, which advocates, connects, educates, and mentors more than 1,400 sites represented across 22 countries.

INC CEO Jamie Macdonald told Outsourcing-Pharma.com, “Investigator sites play a vital role in conducting trials and as a group they’ve been underserved... So we’re delighted to see this establishment, and felt it was important to be a part.”

As the participation rate of physicians acting as clinical investigators declines, the SCRS provides greater support for what sites need, and Macdonald told us that INC is also interested in hearing what kind of support sites need.

A shared purpose and voice is more important now as recruiting and retaining investigator sites is becoming more of an issue for CROs. Between 74% and 80% of global sites perform one clinical trial and never perform another. And over the last 15 years, 86% of studies failed to recruit patients on time, according to INC.

There needs to be “broader education of the community around the benefits of clinical research,” Macdonald said, adding that although SCRS won’t give INC any additional resources in terms of understanding where sites are located globally, it does provide educational benefits for site investigators dealing with increasingly complex protocols.

The partnership originated out of the need for better site to industry collaboration and performance and INC’s membership in SCRS will further facilitate its active engagement and collaboration with sites and other key industry stakeholders on initiatives aimed at establishing best site practices.

“Developing and maintaining quality relationships with investigative sites around the world is a critical success factor to accelerating the delivery of new medicines to market,” Macdonald said.

SCRS President Christine Pierre added: “Collaboration with leading organizations across the clinical research landscape is a pivotal strategic platform for SCRS. This commitment by INC Research speaks to their strong desire to better understand the sites’ perspective, hear their voice and grow closer to the core of the research process.”