The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) has held the inaugural meeting of the CRO Forum in Washington, D.C. The Forum was established last October as the primary vehicle for interaction between the CRO industry and TransCelerate BioPharma.

The Forum elected as its first chairman Dr. Alan Metz, senior vice president and managing director, strategic partnerships at Quintiles. As vice chair, the Forum elected Amy Kissam, executive director, global operational management at INC Research.

ACRO and TransCelerate have mutually agreed to initially establish liaison relationships between four TransCelerate workstreams: risk-based monitoring, shared site qualification and training, common protocol template and quality management system. The Forum selected senior subject matter experts to serve as liaisons to each of these workstreams. The liaisons will be supported by working groups consisting of subject matter experts from across the Forum membership.

"With the ever-increasing role CROs are playing across the drug development spectrum, and the innovation we are bringing to the process, we look forward to entering a meaningful dialogue with TransCelerate," said Jamie Macdonald, ACRO chairman and CEO of INC Research. "As the relationship progresses, we anticipate providing CRO industry input into additional workstreams as well as suggesting possible new workstreams for TransCelerate's consideration."

All members of ACRO participate in the Forum and non-member CROs may take part for a membership fee.