Should Russia Be Your Choice For Clinical Trials?

By Ed Miseta, Chief Editor, Clinical Leader

Years ago, being a CRO in Russia was not an easy endeavor. Politics, as well as the state of medicine and healthcare in the country, made it a difficult place to perform trials. With improvements that have been made in both medicine and technology, and the changing political landscape, the country is now a very different place. This has significantly improved the job of the CRO, and has made the country a growing and successful area to conduct clinical trials.

David Passov, SVP for PRA, is well aware of the clinical environment in Russia. Passov was formerly the President and CEO of ClinStar, a privately held CRO performing clinical trials in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic States. Passov joined PRA in March when the firm acquired ClinStar and its 300 employees.

Passov believes the biggest reason CROs need to be doing business in Russia and the Ukraine is patient access. Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has evolved into a productive and efficient market because of the large pool of patients and the reduced costs of operating there. “If you look at Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus, you will find patient enrollment that is three to twenty times higher than in North America and Europe, depending on the data you reference” says Passov. “Rapid patient enrollment means a company running its trials there will be able to complete them and have the results much sooner.”