Covance central laboratory services ranked first, by a wide margin, in an independent global survey of 550 physician investigators participating in clinical trials. The majority (54%) of the study participants named Covance central laboratory services as their "most preferred" central laboratory, with investigators citing Covance three times more often than the nearest competitor. Investigators also reported having the "best overall relationship" with Covance, rating it 8.4 on a scale of 1 to 10.

The survey also determined that investigators who participate in a clinical trial with their preferred central laboratory are overwhelmingly satisfied (98%). When pharmaceutical sponsors select investigators' least preferred central laboratory, satisfaction drops significantly. Respondents cited central laboratory preference as a key driver of satisfaction with the pharmaceutical sponsor as well, with more than 85% of investigators stating that they are more satisfied and willing to work with a sponsor on trials when they have selected their preferred central laboratory.  Ninety-four percent of investigators indicate the central laboratory selected by the sponsor impacts their (and their staffs') success, day-to-day activities, and willingness to work with a particular sponsor on future studies.

Survey results showed that factors that lead to a strong relationship between investigators and a central laboratory include effective communication, the laboratory's reputation for reliability and quality, and easy-to-use collection kits. Respondents ranked Covance first in all of the key performance metrics, from customer service to timely and accurate reporting.

The "Clinical Trial Investigator Satisfaction and Central Laboratory Performance" survey, conducted by the Life Science Strategy Group, questioned physicians actively participating in pharmaceutical industry sponsored clinical trials as investigators. Participants were prescreened to ensure a high level of involvement and/or key decision-making authority for their investigative site. All global geographies and practice settings were represented, as were more than 20 medical specialties. The mean experience level in a clinical trial setting was 13.4 years.