Building off of the initial partnership signed in May, the SAG program was initiated to catalyze productive dialogue between sites and industry, while the member scholarship program grants SCRS membership to 500 non-member sites.
“One of the key frustrations of clinical research sites is that they are not consulted enough during protocol development, a phase where they could add a wealth of knowledge and experience that would lead to the development of greatly improved and more operationally viable protocols,” Clare Grace, VP of Site and Patient Access at INC told Outsourcing-Pharma.com.
“INC will use the SAG program to develop a protocol review SAG through which experienced clinical research sites will review and contribute to the development of protocols in a rapid and efficient manner. This will enable sites to provide operational input and commentary that in turn results in development of a more practical and patient centric clinical study, ultimately impacting their ability to recruit patients and hopefully improve the patient experience.”
As the first sponsor of the scholarship program, INC will support the society's efforts in retaining and sustaining sites currently participating in clinical research and building the critical mass of sites conducting clinical research around the globe, with a goal of expanding site membership in SCRS to approximately 5,000 sites in 2015.
"Sites are critical to the clinical development process and it is important that we continue to recognize their contributions and provide them with the support they need to be successful," Jamie Macdonald, CEO of INC said in a statement. "Through our participation, INC is afforded additional avenues to actively listen to and engage with site communities across the globe, allowing us to gain valuable perspectives earlier in the clinical trials process that we believe will lead to greater predictability in site performance, improved site sustainability and ultimately faster delivery of new medications to patients."
TransCelerate BioPharma and Eli Lilly are also using SAGs to facilitate ongoing dialogue with clinical investigators and site professionals worldwide in an effort to improve and drive efficiencies across the clinical development process.
"As an industry, it's imperative that we more fully understand and identify high-performing clinical research sites and develop new models to improve site sustainability," said Christine Pierre, President, SCRS.
INC and investigative sites globally will exchange perspectives and insights on innovative methods, tools and technologies in an effort to enhance clinical research efficiency and more closely align the work of the sites and industry across the research ecosystem.
As a Circle of Sustainability sponsor, INC Research will also continue to participate on the SCRS' Global Impact Board and Leadership Council, as well as serve as the sponsor of site appreciation receptions at the society's annual Site Solutions Summit and regional meetings throughout the US and Europe.