WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO), which represents the clinical outsourcing industry to regulators, biopharmaceutical customers and policy makers in the U.S. and worldwide, recently elected officers for 2005.
Josef von Rickenbach, Chairman and CEO of PAREXEL International Corporation, was elected Chairman of ACRO in December 2004. Candace Kendle, PharmD, Chairman and CEO of Kendle, will serve as Treasurer of the association. Mr. von Rickenbach and Dr. Kendle are well known and respected leaders of the CRO industry and have been key participants in the growth of ACRO as the voice of clinical outsourcing since the association was formed in 2002.
“I am very pleased by the progress of ACRO over the past year,” commented Mr. von Rickenbach. “The association has effectively represented the industry and established working relations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on that agency’s Critical Path initiative, as well as with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and the European Commission on the implementation of the EU Clinical Trials Directive. ACRO will continue to educate legislators and policy makers about the key role of outsourcing in the development of new biomedical products.”
“We know that experienced, high-quality CROs increase efficiencies and reduce time and cost in the conduct of clinical research, while protecting patient safety and data integrity,” said Dr. Kendle. “As we go forward, ACRO and its member companies will work closely with our biopharmaceutical customers to demonstrate the advantages of clinical outsourcing and genuine strategic partnering in facilitating product development.”
“We strongly believe that our industry benefits from ACRO -- an organization dedicated to representing and advancing the concerns and interests of clinical research companies large and small,” added Mr. von Rickenbach, “and we invite membership in ACRO by all clinical outsourcing companies.”
The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) fosters continued advancement of biomedical product development. Member companies, representing a multibillion-dollar global industry, provide a wide range of research and development services to help pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies bring new drugs and treatments to patients quickly and safely. ACRO represents the clinical outsourcing industry to customers, regulators, legislators and the public.
For more on the association, go to http://www.acrohealth.org/.
Association of Clinical Research Organizations
CONTACT: Courtney Gray Haupt, +1-202-543-4018, orhealthadvocate04@att.net, for Association of Clinical Research Organizations
Web site: http://www.acrohealth.org/
