When looking for a location to conduct your next clinical trial, you have a lot of factors to consider. One important decision is whether to focus on an emerging region or an established market. According to recent research, the process of choosing countries for conducting clinical trials may turn out to be quite costly. Moreover, the process abounds with risks of delays in site activation bringing to disruption of developmental timelines and loss of up to two-thirds of enrolment time.
Central and Eastern Europe region (CEE) may be the best location for your next oncology clinical trial. Featuring many advantages like- the lowest level of challenges among emerging regions, it also offers a very competitive clinical research environment when compared to more established western markets. So, your site options do not have to be limited to those in the USA and Western Europe.
In this article, we describe major reasons why to include Eastern Europe in your Clinical Trials Strategy for Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, and Medical Device products.
1. Eastern Europe represents the largest patient population in Europe
The population pool in Central and Eastern Europe is wide enough to provide for quick recruitment of the desired number of patients. Additionally, many of the countries in this region have a large number of patients with specific conditions under treatment, which can be difficult to find elsewhere. For example, Bulgaria has the highest number of oncology patients per capita in Europe.
2. Great Experience in Clinical Trials
The region has great experience in clinical trials. Many CROs in Central and Eastern Europe have been conducting clinical trials for years, so they have the experience and expertise needed to ensure that your trial is successful.
3. Fast Patient Recruitment
Clinical trial patient recruitment rates in Central and Eastern Europe are excellent. The combination of a large population and experience in clinical trials means that CROs in the region are able to quickly and easily recruit the patients you need for your trial.
4. Proven Clinical Quality Standards
CROs in Central and Eastern Europe adhere to the same high standards of quality as CROs in Western Europe and the United States.In fact, many CROs in the region are certified by international organizations such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Clinical Trials Directive (CTD).
5. Experienced and Motivated Investigators
The investigators conducting clinical trials in Central and Eastern Europe are experienced and motivated. Many of them have been working in the clinical research field for many years and are highly skilled. Additionally, they are often more invested in the success of a trial than investigators in other regions, as they know that a successful trial can have a major impact on the development of new treatments for their patients.
6. Compliance with EMA Regulations
CROs in Central and Eastern Europe are compliant with all European Medicines Agency (EMA) regulations, so you can be confident that your trial will be conducted according to the highest standards.
7. Lower Density of Clinical Trials in CEE
When compared to other emerging markets, Central and Eastern Europe have a lower density of clinical trials, which means that CROs in the region have the capacity to support your trial.
8. Competitive Per Patient Costs
Due to the combination of a large population and experience in clinical trials, CROs in Central and Eastern Europe are able to offer competitive per-patient costs.
9. Favorable Study Start-up Timelines
Another advantage of conducting clinical trials in Central and Eastern Europe is the favorable study start-up timelines. Clinical CROs in the region have a proven track record of starting clinical trials quickly and efficiently, so you can be confident that your trial will get off to a good start.
10. Quality of Health & Research systems
The quality of health systems and research in European countries is world-class, and Central and Eastern Europe has emerged as a leading region for clinical trials. CROs in the region has the experience and expertise needed to ensure that your trial is successful and that the population pool is wide enough to provide for quick recruitment of the desired number of patients. If you are looking for a location to conduct your next clinical trial, Central and Eastern Europe should be at the top of your list.
Conclusion: Why is Europe a good place to conduct clinical trials?
There are many reasons why Europe is a good place to conduct clinical trials. The region has a large population, experienced and motivated investigators, compliance with all European Medicines Agency (EMA) regulations, a lower density of clinical trials, competitive per-patient costs, and favorable study start-up timelines. If you are looking for a location to conduct your next clinical trial, Europe should be at the top of your list. CROs in the region has the experience and expertise needed to ensure that your trial is successful, and that the population pool is wide enough to provide for quick recruitment of patients.