Survey: nearly two thirds of respondents now use CROs

The survey, published by Worldwide Clinical Trials, was conducted at DIA 2016, which was held June 26 to 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Peter Benton, President and COO at Worldwide Clinical Trials, told us the survey results are “validation that the ​use of CRO partners is on the rise.​”

However, Benton said that he was most surprised by the “appetite​” that those surveyed showed for innovation in overall trial management.

“There is a perception that many sponsors are risk averse and unwilling to look at innovative approaches, but this survey shows that innovation is needed and appreciated​,” said Benton.

According to the survey, when asked about the impact of innovative approaches, almost a third (29%) of respondents said that a CRO’s innovation in overall trial management would have the greatest impact on clinical development. Innovation in patient recruitment and retention was cited as having the second biggest impact by nearly a quarter of respondents.

“The one area where we saw consistent responses across the board was when the survey respondents considered barriers to new drug development​,” said Benton.

Of the choices we presented, the cost of clinical development ranked the highest, with 45% saying it was a significant barrier.

“However, every one of the options was named as a significant barrier by at least 30% of the respondents, from regulatory guidance and uncertainty around reimbursement decisions, to risks associated with the clinical development process​,” added Benton.

“These responses show that the industry is facing a ton of challenges today, which is why more sponsors are turning to CRO partners to help them achieve their goal of bringing new drugs to market to improve patient lives​,” he explained.