Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) Elects New Officer...( WASHINGTON Jan. 11 -- The Associ...)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO), which represents the clinical outsourcing industry to regulators, biopharmaceutical clients, policy makers and the public in the U.S. and worldwide, recently elected new officers for 2008.

David Spaight, President of MDS Pharma Services, was elected Chair of ACRO in December 2007. Stephen DeCherney, MD, MPH, Chief Innovation Officer of Quintiles Transnational, will serve as Chair-Elect of the association. Mr. Spaight and Dr. DeCherney are respected leaders of the clinical research organization (CRO) industry who have been central to ACRO's efforts to educate stakeholders about the benefits of clinical outsourcing and the important role CROs play in the conduct of safe and effective clinical trials.

"I am pleased to assume leadership of ACRO at such an exciting time for our industry as CROs are experiencing unprecedented growth," said Mr. Spaight. "In 2008, ACRO will continue to demonstrate the increasing contribution of CROs to the development of new drugs and biomedical products. We will continue to provide our members with key opportunities to represent the CRO industry to regulators and policy makers, research sponsors, patient groups, and others internationally in the year ahead."

"ACRO's members are committed to increasing ACRO's role as a global leader in discussions around patient safety, regulatory issues in the U.S., Europe and in emerging markets around the world, and innovations to enhance the clinical research process," added Dr. DeCherney. "We encourage all CROs to consider membership in their industry's trade association."

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) is the professional organization of companies whose focus is clinical research. The association provides an active voice for the CRO industry, which provides specialized services that are integral to the development of drugs
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