WIRB-Copernicus Group acquires eConsent tech

WIRB-Copernicus Group (WCG) has acquired eConsent technology to help clinical trial volunteers – and their families – make more informed decisions, says CEO.

Patient Genesis' ConsentNow electronic consent (eConsent) technology joins WCG’s platform of technology-enabled services.

WCG’s family of companies provide regulatory and ethical review services for human research.

We are convinced that by offering trial volunteers a more responsive and digitally-assisted way to learn about the trial of interest, they and their families will make a more informed and sustaining decision to participate,” WCG Chairman and CEO Donald A. Deieso, Ph.D., told Outsourcing-Pharma.com.

Jeffrey Litwin, MD, CEO, MedAvante-ProPhase, a WCG company, told us that with ConsentNow, clients can “consistently deliver a concise message to potential subjects, clearly communicating the risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial, with a proven process that can be tracked and measured.”

The platform features step-by-step setup screens that document subject comprehension to ensure compliance. “Built-in subject retention tools, with real-time site and sponsor metrics, allow for comprehensive adjustments to the consent form if the desired learning level is not achieved,” added Litwin.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

A suite of applications – and acquisitions

The clinical services organization has made several acquisitions in the past year, including that of the global patient recruitment, enrollment, and retention firm ThreeWire in May. In the same month, the company also announced its acquisition of MedAvante and ProPhase, a move that bolstered its presence in the central nervous system (CNS) and behavior health assessment markets.

Western IRB, a WIRB-Copernicus Group company, also aligned with the global professional services firm, Huron, in order to support research programs in the face of heightened expectations from industry sponsors.