5 Factors To Consider When Choosing A CRO For Your Cardiovascular Clinical Trial

Clinical trials conducted in the Cardiovascular (CV) arena are challenging, first and foremost, due to the variety of underlying disease states and conditions that affect a majority of potential trial participants. In addition to participants coming into the study with multiple co-morbidities, CV studies themselves can be quite complex. From the selection of meaningful endpoints and measurement techniques, to complex randomization schemes, the differences between CV trials from other trial types become obvious. Layer these initial complexities with protocol designs that may incorporate a control group, retrospective and prospective elements, long-term followup, or imaging requirements to support the safety and efficacy of new technology, and a sponsor can easily see the scope of the study becoming much more difficult to manage. These difficulties can result in opportunities for inconsistency, inferior quality and non-compliance by sites struggling with a very complex protocol.

This is why choosing the right Contract Research Organization (CRO) for your CV clinical trial is imperative. The company you choose to work with over the next several years needs to have a strong therapeutic background, as well as a strong regulatory foundation. A powerful knowledge of CV trials is a must along with the know-how to manage the complexities of your trial. Finally, the right company will have the ability to understand you and your specific clinical trial needs. Here, we expand on five factors you should consider when choosing a CRO for your CV clinical trial.