Holding the Future in Your Hands

Clinical Researcher—May 2020 (Volume 34, Issue 5)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Jim Kremidas

 

At a time of crisis, the world is turning to you—the clinical researchers and other health professionals who are rising to the challenges of a public health crisis the likes of which we haven’t seen in generations. While the media and politicians (unwittingly or not) sometimes garble the facts or otherwise sow confusion about COVID-19, it is medical experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx who provide the clearest and most accurate picture of our dizzying new pandemic reality.

People are turning to clinical researchers because they respect your knowledge and your integrity. They respect your hard work. They respect your commitment to patient safety.

I don’t mean to sound melodramatic when I say the future is in your hands. It is a fact. You will develop the future vaccine to protect us from this coronavirus. You will discover the future treatment to alleviate those suffering from COVID-19. Clinical research is indeed a higher calling, and I hope you are proud of your contribution to the greater good.

In Clinical Researcher and in our ACRP blogs, we’ve written about a number of exciting trials and broader initiatives to battle this devastating pandemic. The clinical trial industry is responding to the crisis with innovation, hard work, and a new flexibility. In fact, the silver lining in all this chaos is that it may well be the “catalyst” that pushes our industry into new, more efficient, and more effective methods of doing our work. It is exciting to see how clinical trial professionals have rallied together in this time of great need.

I’ve also been heartened by the response to our ongoing Virtual ACRP 2020 program. We’ve heard great things from you about the content of the first two tracks. I’m also encouraged to find so many of you attending, engaging, and asking such insightful questions during and after the virtual sessions. We’ll reconvene May 14 and 28 for our two-part track on study management and conduct, and later tracks in June will focus on leadership and career growth and workforce development. Timely topics indeed.

Thank you again for the valuable work you do.

Jim Kremidas is Executive Director of ACRP.