Staying on top of industry innovations and trends in the ever-changing clinical trials industry is mandatory for professionals in contract research organizations. We’ve compiled a list of the top global conferences for the rest of 2020 that CRO practitioners can attend to further their professional development, partnerships and networking opportunities.
BioTech Week Boston
Virtual Conference
Sept. 21-24, 2020
BioTech Week Boston is now a 100 percent virtual conference that offers participants a unique and engaging experience for exploring the latest innovations and ideas throughout the drug development value chain. The conference’s mission is to accelerate the field of biotechnology, which it will accomplish through over 500 keynotes, presentations, and case studies.
There are more than 10 events within BioTech Week Boston that feature different areas of interest. Some of those are:
- BioProcess International Conference and Exhibition.
- BioPharm America.
- Drug Delivery Partnerships.
- MedDevice/MedTech Compliance Congress.
SOCRA Annual Conference
Virtual Conference
Sept. 23-26, 2020
The 2020 SOCRA Annual Conference is now a virtual event. Live streaming will take place daily from 11 a.m.-3:20 p.m. EST, with live Q&A sessions after each session. There are eight educational tracks to choose from to tailor your conference experience. A few of the speakers who will be leading sessions are:
- Donna Williams, BSN, RN, CCRP, senior clinical research specialist at Hill-Rom. Williams will be presenting “What to Expect from an FDA Inspection.”
- Earl Britt, Jr., BS, CCRP, clinical research coordinator II, for the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University. Britt will be presenting “The Power of Development and Mentorship.”
- Samantha Wrenn, MHA, CCRP, project lead at Duke Clinical Research Institute. Wrenn will be presenting “Successful Study Recruitment and Retention in Pediatric Trials (Site Perspective).”
Outsourcing in Clinical Trials USA
Virtual Conference
Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2020
At the Outsourcing in Clinical Trials USA virtual conference, attendees will hear presentations covering outsourcing, technology, regulatory affairs, and medical devices to help CRO professionals manage their outsourcing strategies. With a number of different tracks to choose from based on specific areas of expertise or interest, attendees can personalize the event to maximize learning.
Some sessions to look forward to include:
- “Drug Development Trends and their Impact on Clinical Trial Execution” by Ken Getz, deputy director and research professor (PCHM) for the Centre for the Study of Drug Development at Tufts University.
- “Risk-Based Monitoring Through COVID-19 and Beyond: Advancing Structured Flexibility” by Steven Thys, director of Global Clinical Operations at SGS Life Sciences.
- “Shaping the Future of Clinical Trial: What’s Coming Up Next in Digital Medicine and Innovative Technology” with Amir Lahav, executive director and head of Digital Medicine at Karyopharm.
Life Sciences West Coast Compliance Congress
In-person Conference, San Francisco
Oct. 20-22, 2020
The theme of the 11th annual Life Sciences West Coast Compliance Congress is “Innovative Models for Elevating Ethics and Integrity Programs.” There will be conversations surrounding compliance challenges and risks that biotech and pharmaceutical companies face when bringing products from pre-launch to commercialization.
The conference will feature three content streams: clinical/pre-commercial pharma/biotech, commercial pharma/biotech, and medical device and diagnostic. Some of the topics to be covered include third-party oversight, data privacy and analytics, clinical research and development oversight, and market access.
There will also be two interactive panel discussions:
- CCO Panel — “Adapting and Evolving Compliance in Support of Innovation.”
- Enforcement Panel — “Fraud and Enforcement Trends for 2021 and Beyond.”
MAGI’s Clinical Research vConference
Virtual Conference
Nov. 2-5, 2020 and Nov. 9-12, 2020
In 48 sessions over eight days in eight tracks and with over 140 speakers, attendees of the MAGI’s Clinical Research vConference will have the opportunity to attend virtual sessions on clinical operations, quality and risk management, site management, contracts, budgets and billing, regulatory compliance, professional skills, collaboration, and other special topics. It’s the perfect opportunity to build credentials with more than 70 hours of continuing education contact hours available.
Speakers at the conference will include:
- Norman Goldfarb, founder and chairman of MAGI.
- S. Wayne Allen, global head site contracts at ICON, PLC.
- Michael Young , principal at biomedwoRx: Life Sciences Consulting.
SCOPE Summit Europe + Clinical Trial Innovation Summit Combined Virtual Event
Virtual Conference
Nov. 10-11, 2020
Because of the travel limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two great events are combining into one virtual event with the theme “Bridging Europe and U.S. to Drive Clinical Innovation.” SCOPE Summit Europe and Clinical Trial Innovation Summit have joined forces to ensure that everyone gets the benefits of both conferences, including online sessions, networking, and exhibits without having to risk their own safety. The details of the virtual conference are still being worked out, so check both websites frequently to learn more about this new event.
FDA Clinical Trial Requirements, Regulations, Compliance and GCP Conference
In-person Conference, Orlando
Nov. 18-19, 2020
Sponsored by SOCRA, the FDA Clinical Trial Requirements, Regulations, Compliance and GCP Conference will increase the clinical research professional’s understanding of FDA clinical trial requirements and suggest avenues for enhancing the product development experience. It will focus on three areas that are most challenging for investigational sites and sponsors:
- FDA clinical research requirements.
- Enhancing success through communication and financial incentives.
- Assuring confidence in clinical research.
Upon leaving the conference, attendees will possess an array of new skills, such as the ability to describe what FDA expects in a pharmaceutical clinical trial and discuss the responsibilities of the clinical investigator.
Speakers at the conference will include:
- Eric Pittman, program director for BIMO West, FDA.
- Lara Akinsanya, science policy analyst at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA.
- Christopher Gioffre, consumer safety officer at the Division of Clinical Evaluation and Quality, FDA.
Clinical Research Monitoring and GCP Workshop
Virtual Event
Dec. 1-4, 2020
Open to all research professionals but ideal for research study coordinators and project managers with minimal experience, the Clinical Research Monitoring and GCP Workshop is designed to address the most pressing issues in the ever-evolving clinical research monitoring practice. At the end of the virtual event, participants will have a stronger understanding of the roles and responsibilities of clinical research associates and monitors.
The agenda includes learning blocks that address topics such as ethical considerations, monitoring activities and site visits, and quality assurance audits. Presenters will touch on a number of different specific areas of each topic during sessions, including
- Good clinical practice and the obligations of the sponsor and monitor.
- Study start-up and site initiation activities.
- Risk-based monitoring.