The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) has partnered with the Shanghai Clinical Research Center (SCRC) to promote ACRP training and certification throughout China.

SCRC will develop multiple ACRP-approved training centers in China, launch an annual national conference and facilitate ACRP Certification Examinations throughout China.  SCRC will also license its ready-made training course to ACRP.

“China has increasingly played an important role in clinical research in recent years,” said Dr. Gan Rongxing, SCRC’s CEO, in an ACRP release. “The increasing opportunity for global clinical trials in China requires more physician investigators, clinical research associates, and clinical research coordinators with professional skills. The cooperation between SCRC and ACRP targets these market demands, and will quickly bring the international experience to China.”

An ACRP trainer recently spent a week in Shanghai teaching a Good Clinical Practice course for physicians. The organizations will offer ACRP Certification Exam Review courses in early 2009 in preparation for the March certification exam.

Founded in 1976, Alexandria, Va.-based ACRP is a 20,000-member nonprofit association for clinical researchers. The organization has global chapters in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Africa, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Serbia, Singapore, Taiwan and the UK.

“ACRP weighed, over a two-year period, a number of potential alliance partners in China. We believe that the strong backing of the Shanghai government positions SCRC to be at the forefront in developing education for the Clinical Research Team in China,” said ACRP President and CEO Thomas L. Adams in the association’s release.