Virtual Roundtable Brings Together Industry Stakeholders for Weekly Discussions on How to Measure Risk and Study Performance as Coronavirus Pandemic Evolves
Falls Church, VA – April 3, 2020 – Metrics Champion Consortium (MCC), an industry organization dedicated to improving clinical trials via the development of standardized performance metrics, today announced the launch of a new forum designed to spur discourse on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on clinical trials and how to tackle operational challenges associated with the ever-evolving pandemic. The weekly, virtual series – the MCC COVID-19 Community of Practice – connects MCC members, representing more than 80 organizations across the global life sciences ecosystem, and provides them with opportunities to share knowledge and collectively think about how to proactively address common industry concerns around risks to trial integrity and benchmarking study performance amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Founded in 2006, MCC is part of WCG’s Study Planning and Site Optimization Division. From biopharmaceutical and medical device trial sponsors to clinical research organizations (CROs), research sites and technology service providers, member organizations utilize MCC’s network to collaborate through working groups focused on addressing shared challenges and opportunities. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent guidance from regulatory bodies on conducting clinical trials, MCC is leveraging its platform to bring together a diverse, global network of clinical research stakeholders to discuss how they are coping with disruptions to study operations as a result of quarantines, site closures, travel limitations, interruptions in the supply chain for the investigational product and infection of site personnel and trial participants, among other ongoing developments. A document summarizing the topics discussed as well as links to relevant consortium resources and regulatory guidance documents are posted in the consortium’s COVID-19 knowledge portal.
“The fallout from the spread of COVID-19 infections will continue to have major implications for clinical trial operations, and we’re committed to doing our part to support our community in navigating through unchartered territory,” said Linda Sullivan, executive director of MCC. “In bringing together MCC members for timely discussions and to regularly compare notes, our goal is to create a forum that drives the knowledge sharing and collaborative thinking that will help to meaningfully address common challenges and offer practical, actionable solutions.”
Donald A. Deieso, PhD, Executive Chairman and CEO of WCG, added: “Collaboration across the clinical trial ecosystem and healthcare more broadly has never been more critical. With the coronavirus pandemic growing rapidly as each day passes, we know that we are all in this together and must find our way through a devastating global health crisis by collaborating and supporting each other. Leveraging its unmatched benchmarking capabilities and insights, MCC is making it possible for the industry to think through needed new metrics and their implications, while working together to determine how to consistently measure performance in an evolving clinical trial landscape.”
Weekly COVID-19 Community of Practice discussions will explore top-of-mind questions on virtual patient visits, risk management and control, centralized monitoring, protocol deviations and amendments, and informed consent form amendments, as well as other topics suggested by members. MCC resources, including a web-based knowledge portal and LinkedIn Group, will also be available to members so that they can share challenges, questions and learnings in real time.
To learn more about MCC membership, please contact Teresa Holland, Membership Director at [email protected] or 1-317-622-0266.
About Metrics Champion Consortium
MCC is the leading industry consortium that brings clinical research stakeholders together, including sponsors, CROs, partners and investigational sites, to collaboratively develop standardized performance metrics and associated tools that help organizations oversee, manage and optimize clinical trial execution. For more information, please visit www.metricschampion.org.
About WCG
WCG is the world’s leading provider of solutions that measurably improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research. Comprised of two divisions – the industry’s first central IRB – WIRB-Copernicus IRB, and first clinical services organization (CSO) – WCG enables biopharmaceutical companies, CROs, and institutions to accelerate the delivery of new treatments and therapies to patients, while maintaining the highest standards of human subject protection. For more information, please visit www.wcgclinical.com or follow us on Twitter @WCGClinical or LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
MCC: Linda B. Sullivan
317-622-0266
[email protected]
WCG: Amy Hutnik
609-250-7654
[email protected]