CRO forum elects Quintiles, INC Research execs as chairs

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) held the inaugural meeting of the previously announced CRO Forum, which was established in October to increase interactions between the CRO industry and industry group TransCelerate BioPharma.

The Forum elected as its first Chairman Dr. Alan Metz, SVP and managing director of strategic partnerships at Quintiles. The Forum also elected Amy Kissam, Executive Director, Global Operational Management, at INC Research as Vice Chair.

ACRO and TransCelerate have agreed to initially establish liaison relationships between four TransCelerate workstreams: risk-based monitoring; shared site qualification and training; common protocol template; and quality management system. The Forum in Washington, D.C. selected senior subject matter experts to serve as liaisons to each of these workstreams. The liaisons will be supported by working groups consisting of subject matter experts from across the Forum membership.

With the ever-increasing role CROs are playing across the drug development spectrum, and the innovation we are bringing to the process, we look forward to entering a meaningful dialogue with TransCelerate,” said ACRO Chairman Jamie Macdonald, CEO of INC Research. “As the relationship progresses, we anticipate providing CRO industry input into additional workstreams as well as suggesting possible new workstreams for TransCelerate’s consideration.”

All members of ACRO participate in the Forum and non-member CROs may take part for a modest membership fee.