After a year of consolidation, facility building, and some controversy in the phase I market, expect additional acquisition deals in 2007 and growth to hold up in the low double digits. Industry experts estimate that the percentage of phase I work outsourced to CROs has increased to at least half of the phase I market. Several phase I units have been bought by large CROs as they increase their offerings and add global service.
2006 in Review: Industry Adapts and Adopts
CenterWatch reviews a year in which significant strides were made in the clinical trials industry even as it got past some hurdles of negative press concerning patient safety issues. 2006 may be looked back on as the year when the clinical research industry really took several big leap forwards with technology adoption including electronic data capture (EDC), electronic health records (EHR), electronic patient diaries and new approaches such as adaptive clinical trials that together will change the industry for a long time.
Romania and Bulgaria Join EU
This month marks the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union (EU), which gives both countries all the rights and obligations deriving from EU membership, including the implementation of the EU Clinical Trials Directive.
Eye On: Pain
The treatment of pain is a major healthcare and research priority. There are about 85 million people in the U.S. suffering from chronic pain conditions, and about 193 million new cases of acute pain annually. Despite recent advances in understanding pain physiology, currently available classes of analgesics have not changed significantly over the past few decades, and problems of limited efficacy, adverse effects and abuse potential remain.
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