Launch of company’s Site Advisory Council and meeting with Patient Advisory Council held on International Clinical Trials Day 2020; address clinical trial challenges during pandemic

BOSTON and DURHAM, N.C., May 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parexel, a leading provider of solutions to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative new therapies to improve world health, from Clinical through Commercialization, today co-hosted a virtual summit of its recently launched Site Advisory Council and its Patient Advisory Council with the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS), the global organization unifying the voice of the clinical research site community to create greater site sustainability. The focus of the summit was on further leveraging the site perspective in improving the patient experience in clinical trials, especially in light of the shift to remote and virtual trial tactics during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as eliciting direct feedback and recommendations on how to best support both patients and sites during and after the pandemic. 

“Since very early on in the pandemic, regulatory authorities, including the FDA, have advocated for early patient engagement in clinical trial designs to improve informed consents, introduce more relevant outcomes and enhance patient recruitment and retention to support drug development during these challenging times,” said Sy Pretorius, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical & Scientific Officer. “We are excited to build on the learnings from our Patient Advisory Council by incorporating the critical site perspective to improve the clinical trial experience for patients.”

“Hearing firsthand from patient advocates and site staff about their experience in clinical trials and which aspects are most helpful or, conversely, most difficult gives us valuable feedback to address the immediate needs of drug development and to improve processes for the future,” added Peyton Howell, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer. “Our expanded and strategic collaboration with SCRS through our Site Advisory Council underscores Parexel’s commitment to better leveraging the expertise of clinical research sites worldwide in putting patients first in developing treatments for important health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”

The virtual meeting, attended by 20 patient, caregiver and site representatives across Europe and the U.S., focused on strategies for optimizing site-patient relationships, facilitating continued access to trials during the pandemic through innovative decentralized clinical trials, and harnessing pandemic awareness to educate people about the importance of clinical research. Output and feedback will be used to inform clinical trial designs both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Sites are on the frontlines of delivering patient care and navigate the real-world concerns and needs of patients and their families on a daily basis, so it’s essential that they have a seat at the table when discussing how to optimize clinical trials,” said Michael Jay, Director, Special Projects, SCRS. “We’re excited to collaborate with Parexel as part of this ongoing dialogue and to share our perspective for enhancing trial delivery for patients during and after the pandemic.” 

Parexel’s Patient and Site Advisory Councils are integral to the delivery of its clinical trials. The company’s Patient Advisory Council provides a continuous forum for eliciting direct insights from diverse patient communities to integrate their experiences and perceptions of clinical trials with current industry best practices to shape future trial design and execution. Council members include patient advocates and caregivers representing global patient populations as well as representatives from Parexel’s Patient Innovation Center and Executive Leadership Team.

The Parexel Site Advisory Council is organized through an industry initiative led by SCRS. Parexel’s Council was established to further leverage the site’s role and perspective in enhancing and improving the patient experience in participating in clinical trials, especially in the context of COVID-19, and to develop tools and resources that enhance interactions between sites and patients.  

About Parexel 
Parexel is focused on supporting the development of innovative new therapies to improve patient health. We do this through a suite of services that help life science and biopharmaceutical customers across the globe transform scientific discoveries into new treatments for patients. From clinical trials to regulatory and consulting services to commercial and market access, our therapeutic, technical and functional ability is underpinned by a deep conviction in what we do. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. 

Parexel is a registered trademark of Parexel International Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

For more information on how Parexel engages patients in trial design and execution, visit our Patient Innovation Center.

About SCRS
Founded in 2012, SCRS is a global organization that unifies the voice of the clinical research site community to create greater site sustainability. Representing over 9,500 sites in 47 countries, SCRS membership provides sites with a community dedicated to advocacy, education, mentorship and connectivity. SCRS is an influential voice for sites and an active partner in industry-wide initiatives and dialogues focused on improving the clinical research enterprise. Our Voice. Our Community. Your Success. Join the community. Visit MySCRS.org.

Parexel Media Relations 
Wendy Ryan, Senior Director, Corporate Communications 
+1 781 316 4424 
wendy.ryan@parexel.com