Compliance In Focus

Often, when one thinks of the team that actually brings a new medical device or drug to market, the first people that come to mind are those at the sponsor company and the investigators at the individual sites – the leaders of the study.  What may be less known, though, is that often the study hinges on the shoulders of the Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC).  Briefly, CRCs are responsible for the accurate maintenance of the records for the trial, as well as many parts of the trial that otherwise may be overlooked.  Some of the major responsibilities of the CRC are:

As the clinical research world becomes increasingly technologically advanced, we have seen more and more sponsors choose to use Electronic Data Capture (EDC) Systems to document Case Report Form (CRF) data.  FDA published a guidance in September 2013 to address the questions associated with this growing trend.

Dr. Robert Findling, Director of Johns Hopkins Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and leading researcher in pediatric psychopharmacology, views being a principal investigator as “a privilege, not a right.” Dr. Findling has been noted as saying “with privilege comes great responsibility”.  Principal investigators who subscribe to this philosophy can set themselves apart by leading the development of cutting edge technology and novel treatments. According to 21 CFR 812.100, General Responsibilities of investigators, P.I.s are responsible for conducting research according to the federal regulations, agreements with the sponsor, the investigational plan, and the requirements set forth by the IRB.