| Jerry Boxall of ACM-Pivotal Europe and member of the Institute of Clinical Research looks at the changing role of the global central laboratory in the expanding global market
As the global market expands to include key emerging regions of the world, notably India and China, the pharmaceutical industry is rapidly realigning its focus from the traditional countries of North America, Europe and Japan, and exploring the opportunities of expansion into the new markets available today. As a service provider to the pharmaceutical industry, the global central laboratory needs to adapt quickly to support research in new regions of the world.
Some 10 years ago, a number of laboratory professionals established the International Association of Clinical Laboratories. The aim of this organisation was to develop new resources such as training courses, publications, articles and a wide variety of educational and information materials related to the laboratory aspects of pharmaceutical clinical trials. For a number of reasons, this professional organisation was discontinued, perhaps due to the fact it was ahead of its time. Now the Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) has recognised the changing needs of this specialist discipline by planning a new special interest group for laboratory professionals.
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Expansion into new markets is nothing new for the industry – for instance, significant expansion into Central and Eastern Europe countries (CEE) has been evident in recent years. However, with every new opportunity there are also risks, and a look back at the experiences of growth in research in CEE may be a valuable exercise in identifying potential problems as the momentum gathers in new locations, most notably India and China. |
