As the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry rushes to the emerging markets to set-up and develop new research & development hubs, the interest in the MENA region intensifies. There are 31,309 clinical trials currently ongoing globally and the MENA region accounts for 5% of them (1715 trials). Over the last few decades rapid development has taken place in the MENA region and pharma companies are investing in clinical trials. It is expected that the outsourcing of clinical research in the region will grow by approximately 20% in the coming few years. The expediting of regulatory reforms, widening of training and increase in clinical research experiences are the reasons for this prediction. Pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies have recognized the opportunities and advantages that exist with conducting clinical trials in the complex MENA region and are turning to the emerging markets where long-term growth can be sustained. The pharmaceutical industry in the region is worth $10.6 billion and investments in clinical research is a potential of new and increasing source of revenue for the region
With state of the art infrastructure in new modern hospitals and further new hospitals in the region being built, the environment for conducting clinical research is ever improving. Most of the hospitals are now either already accredited by Joint Commission International or in the process of seeking JCI accreditation. There is however, a growing need to train and educate clinical researchers within the hospitals and the regulatory bodies on conducting clinical research in accordance with the international standards.
Clinical research raises some delicate issues of ethics which need to be handled with sensitivity. Ethics refers to moral principles governing human character and conduct and good research practice requires that researchers must respect the rights of their subjects. Experts in clinical trial conduct and quality assurance are to discuss the current and future trends of clinical research at the ClinTec Academy for Clinical Research Excellence (ACRE) Workshop taking place on the 23rd and 24th May 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, UAE. The workshop will be led by Grainne Forrest, ClinTec’s Head of Quality Assurance. The mission of ACRE is to increase the number and quality of clinical research projects in the MENA region. With the presence of ACRE, a broad array of educational opportunities in clinical research is now locally available to meet the diverse needs of this region.
The ACRE workshop is accredited by the Dubai Health Authority for 11 (eleven) CME/CPD points and will run as part of the third annual PABME Exhibition and Conference taking place from 23rd – 25th May, 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, UAE. By imparting this training in clinical research, ACRE envisions to train, educate and empower the participants to meet the current demands of the clinical research industry.
Dr Rabinder Buttar, President and CEO of ClinTec International, says: “As the Global Pharmaceutical Industry shifts an increasing amount of clinical research to the emerging markets including the MENA region, there is a growing need to educate, train and develop more clinical researchers who are certified to international standards in clinical research. ClinTec addresses this need through the establishment of its Global Academy of Clinical Research Excellence (ACRE) by running certified training courses throughout the Middle East which will address all the main principles of the International Guidelines on Good Clinical Practice.”
In an effort to highlight the burgeoning pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in the Middle East, PABME 2010 will offer pharmaceutical and biotechnology scientists and practitioners from around the world the opportunity to interact, network and exchange ideas and bring themselves and their organisations to the forefront of the discipline.
PABME is organised by IIR Middle East Life Sciences Division and is the region’s only event that is being formatted as a major exhibition with a multi-disciplinary conference running alongside. As well as Clinical Trials, the conferences will address other global and regional issues such as pharmaceutical registration, facilities design, upgrade and expansion, emerging technologies, marketing and current trends in the industry.
