Contact Information: CONTACT INFORMATION: David Richardson 919-433-0216
According to Cutting Edge Information Research, Outsourcing More Common as Trials Progress
| Source: Cutting Edge Information
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(Marketwire - October 22, 2008) - Clinical trials have seen a
trend of gradually but steadily being outsourced to other countries in
order to preserve and mitigate resources. This trend has seen outsourcing
reach 40% of company personnel in Phase 3 clinical trials, according to the
report "Streamlining Clinical Trials," written by business intelligence
firm Cutting Edge Information.
Although companies continue to invest in themselves and their internal
personnel, outside investigators are routinely utilized to provide a wider
range of demographical research, a greater wealth of information on
conducting clinical trials, speed up the clinical process, and most
importantly save money. One of the challenges that these outside firms
assist with is recruiting an ample patient population and help control the
retention of that population once a trial has been initiated. The
proficiency and need for outsourced clinical trial firms causes the rate of
outsourced staff to rise from 31.4% in Phase 1 clinical trials to 40% in
Phase 3 clinical trials.
"With increased regulation, decreased sample populations, and advancements
in the abilities and capacities of foreign companies to fulfill and satisfy
clinical trial activity, pharmaceutical organizations look for assistance
as the progression of drugs in clinical trials develops," says David
Richardson, research team leader at Cutting Edge Information. "Companies
enjoy the freedom that clinical trial specialists give them to conduct
other activities involving a new drug."
The report, "Streamlining Clinical Trials,"
(www.clinicaltrialbenchmarking.com) covers resource allocation, performance
measurement, continuous process improvement, patient and investigator
recruitment and adaptive trial designs. Data include clinical development
budgets, clinical operations team structures, performance measurement and
management, clinical operations hurdles and process improvement tools and
tactics. The report focuses on three aspects:
Patient Recruitment: Patient recruitment continues to dominate clinical
timelines and budgets. The report devotes an entire chapter to this
challenge, providing the latest trends and tools in recruitment.
Budgeting and Performance Assessments: Clinical project managers must set
clear performance expectations and measure and manage trials. The report
provides clinical spending benchmarks to assist in trial budgeting and
planning.
Clinical Operations Structure and Work Flow: Clinical trial management team
members must know their roles and responsibilities, and communication with
vendors and investigators must be seamless. The report outlines major
obstacles clinical teams face and presents real-company, proven solutions.