Perspectives of CROs
Chairs: Douglas Henry and Steven Tan
Current Industry Landscape
- SAS Dominance: SAS remains a major part of CRO workflows and processes
- Innovation Gap: Differentiation between innovative CROs (smaller, forward-thinking) and traditional CROs (larger, dominant market players)
Key Challenges for CROs
- Upskilling Requirements: Need to invest in training staff on new technologies while maintaining SAS capabilities
- Dual Technology Management: Challenge of managing both traditional and modern toolchains
- Guidance Dependency: Many CROs seeking more direction from sponsor companies rather than self-directing change
- Business Model Constraints: Traditional “order taker” model doesn’t align well with consulting-style technology guidance
CRO as Resource vs. Bottleneck
- Bottleneck Risk: CROs can become bottlenecks when trying to figure out technology transitions independently
- Valuable Resource Potential: CROs have extensive cross-client experience that could be leveraged for best practices
- Service Evolution: Pivoting from process-focused to more consultative roles as clients demand technology expertise
Sponsor-CRO Relationship Dynamics
- Timeline Expectations: Question whether sponsors understand the time required for upskilling and technology changes
- Communication Gap: Need for better understanding between sponsors and CROs regarding transition requirements
- Business Model Evolution: Traditional expectations may need adjustment for new technology paradigms
Community Engagement
- Information Access: Importance of CROs participating in organizations like R/Pharma for knowledge sharing
- Ecosystem Integration: CROs are significant players in the overall life sciences technology ecosystem
- Increased Participation: Need for more CRO involvement in industry technology discussions