CRO Management: Why Sponsors Don't Do A Better Job And What They Can Do About It

By Gary Tyson, Senior Vice President and Practice Area Leader, Clinical Development Practice, Campbell Alliance

The use of CROs is intended to drive efficiency by increasing flexibility. By using CROs, sponsors can increase their flexibility by decreasing their need for full-time internal staff and expanding their access to a wider range of expert external resources. For example, an organization that is developing in a range of therapeutic areas can employ CRO staff members who are experts in each of those therapeutic areas by leveraging specialized CROs.

In addition to staffing efficiency, CRO use also drives cost-related efficiency gains. As for-profit businesses, CROs are highly incented to aggressively manage their staff and overhead costs—a practice that translates into more efficient utilization and trial conduct.