The following press release provides insight on industry trends and behaviors impacting all players involved in clinical research as analyzed and reported by CenterWatch.

Thomson CenterWatch and Integrated Clinical Trial Services to Offer New CME Symposia to Complement Patient Recruitment Initiatives

BOSTON, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thomson (TSX: TOC - News; NYSE: TOC - News), a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to scientific and healthcare customers, announces that its CenterWatch business entered into a collaboration with Integrated Clinical Trial Services (ICTS). The agreement is designed to provide educational symposia to inform practice-based physicians and allied health professionals about the importance of communicating clinical trial information to their patients. These unique programs offer continuing medical education credits.

The difficulty in recruiting patients for clinical trials continues to cause substantial delays in getting new drugs and devices to market. It is estimated that only 10% of eligible people who suffer from severe and chronic illnesses participate in clinical trials. Biopharmaceutical companies have increasingly turned to community-based physicians and allied health professionals for assistance in referring eligible patients to their studies. At this time, CenterWatch estimates that only one in five volunteers learn about a clinical trial from their physician or nurse practitioner.

"These CME programs fill an unmet need for biopharmaceutical companies looking to build a more effective referral network of community-based physicians and allied health professions as part of a comprehensive recruitment strategy. The programs will also greatly raise patients' awareness of clinical trials that are actively seeking volunteers," said Paul Molinari, Thomson CenterWatch's Manager of Business Development.

"This is a unique opportunity to provide community-based physicians and their staff with an accredited educational opportunity coupled with increased exposure to the clinical research industry. It provides ICTS with another tool to use in the process of identifying the patients that are required by ever more complex study protocols. We are excited to be partnering with CenterWatch, the leading publisher in the clinical research industry, in this exciting endeavor," said Tom Sturgis, President of Integrated Clinical Trial Services.

The Thomson Corporation and CenterWatch

The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com), with 2002 revenues of $7.8 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers in the fields of healthcare and scientific research, law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate training and testing and assessment. Its healthcare solutions include CenterWatch, (www.centerwatch.com), a leader in the clinical trials industry. With a specific focus on the clinical trials industry, CenterWatch (www.centerwatch.com) is a Boston-based publishing and information services company that provides business journalism, reference databases, accredited training manuals, original research & analysis, and market intelligence services to assist organizations in managing and implementing clinical research strategies and operational initiatives. The Thomson Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges (TSX: TOC - News; NYSE: TOC - News).

About Integrated Clinical Trial Services

Integrated Clinical Trial Services (www.integratedtrials.com) is a North Carolina-based company that combines more than 40 years of active patient recruitment experience among its four founding members. Our mission is to provide the best solution for patient recruitment, enrollment, retention and compliance challenges the first time... every time. We work as full service or niche providers and have developed some of the most innovative processes in the industry.

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