By Allison Proffitt
March 18, 2010 | SINGAPORE—Launched yesterday at BioPharma Asia 2010, held in Singapore, the Pan-Asian Clinical Research Association (PACRA) aims to promote clinical research training and continuing professional development for clinical researchers across Asia (from the Middle-East through to Japan). PACRA will provide a focal point throughout Asia for clinical research professionals.
“The concept for PACRA emerged from the realization that there is no existing focal point in Asia for clinical research professionals. This gave us reason enough to develop an Asian based and Asian focused organization entirely dedicated to the training and education of clinical research professionals across Asia,” said Steve Bukvic, chairmain of PACRA, in a press release.
The organization is headed by a board of directors with a team of regional directors representing the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North Asia, and Japan.
The crux of the PACRA mission is education, which will include e-learning, instructor-led education, a PACRA conference, and roundtable focus groups. The non-profit membership organization will ultimately offer standardized training to enhance professional development as well as the potential for opening up new career pathways in clinical research. PACRA’s main objectives are to keep members current with best practices, ensure training is up to date, develop clinical research careers, and offer a hub for clinical researchers in this region.
PACRA aims to accomplish these goals by offering a reliable place for high quality training and producing PACRA – Silk Route, an e-journal to be launched in 2010 as a biannual publication, eventually to be published every month.
Membership in PACRA is currently open to anyone who is involved directly or indirectly in clinical research in Asia.