Contract research organization (CRO)
In Roles & organizations
A contract research organization is a company a sponsor hires to run part or all of a clinical trial. CROs commonly provide monitoring, data management, safety reporting, statistics, and regulatory submissions. The sponsor can delegate the tasks but keeps ultimate responsibility for the trial.
Why it matters
CROs are the largest single employer of entry-level clinical-research staff worldwide, and are often the easiest route into the industry.
Example
A small biotech with ten employees runs a 40-site Phase III trial by contracting a CRO for monitoring, data management, and safety reporting.
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