ACRO - Officers - Association of Clinical Research Organizations



	ACRO assumes an active role in the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative with a seat on the CTTI Steering Committee. ACRO places two representatives on the Board of Directors of the Metrics Champion Consortium. ACRO convenes inaugural Clinical Outsourcing Leaders Summit, bringing together senior executives from the CRO, pharmaceutical and biotech industries. ACRO continues to work with policy makers and regulatory agencies worldwide on drug development issues including innovation in clinical trial design improvements in drug safety, and steps to ensure study participant safety. ACRO joins The Biomarkers Consortium. For more information about The Biomarkers Consortium, please visit: www.fnih.org ACRO joins the Coalition for a Stronger FDA. For more information about the Coalition for a Stronger FDA, please visit: www.fdacoalition.org To objectively evaluate CRO industry growth, ACRO commissions a study of clinical outsourcing by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. The study finds that CROs expand speed and capacity of pharmaceuticals' product development pipeline. ACRO continues its leadership role with the Clinical Data Acquisition Standards Harmonization (CDASH) Initiative. The project was spearheaded by ACRO as part of the FDA's Critical Path Initiative now being led by CDISC. ACRO welcomes United BioSource Corp. as new member. ACRO joins the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) Circle of Supporters. ACRO continues to expand its global focus by meeting with the Drugs Controller General of India. Billy Tauzin, newly appointed President and CEO of PhRMA, meets with ACRO members. FDA leaders including Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford and Janet Woodcock address the ACRO Board of Directors. MDS Pharma Services becomes the newset ACRO member. ACRO continues to collaborate with regulatory agencies around the world to improve and streamline the development process for safe, effective medical products, including meetings with the leadership of the EMEA and European Commission's Pharmaceutical Unit. ACRO shares its member companies' expertise with formal input to the FDA's Critical Path Initiative and EMEA's Roadmap to 2010. PhRMA President and CEO Alan Holmer and FDA representatives address ACRO leaders. ACRO doubles in size with new member companies, including PharmaNet, PRA International, and Medifacts International. ACRO sponsors educational forum titled "Clinical Research Participation: Today's Challenges, Tomorrow's Possibilities" that focuses on actions industry stakeholders can take to bolster public understanding of, and confidence in, clinical research. ACRO provides input to Congress on pending legislation and makes formal regulatory comments to the FDA. ACRO is founded by leading clinical research companies: Covance, Kendle, PAREXEL International, PPD and Quintiles Transnational. FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan speaks at ACRO's inaugural meeting of CRO industry leaders.