In February 2022, the European CRO Federation (EUCROF) is hosting the 6th European Conference on Clinical Research in Madrid, Spain. This is an opportunity for researchers to look back at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the field while creating a plan of action moving forward.
Anju Software is a EUCROF partner, and will be exhibiting and demonstrating our TA Scan tool and our suite of eClinical solutions. Read on for more about this conference and other presentations to attend.
About the Event
The 6th European Conference on Clinical Research will take place on February 7-8, 2022. Registration for the event opened in June 2021 and closes on February 4, 2022. The early registration period was in November 2021, but attendees can still pay the regular registration fee of 770 euros for two days and 480 euros for one day. From February 2, 2022, the conference allows for on-site registration at 920 euros for two days and 580 euros for one day.
The conference is being held at the Hotel RIU Plaza España, a centrally-located hotel in Madrid. There are specific rates available for conference attendees if you want to stay on site when attending the conference. Due to shifting pandemic conditions, events will be hybrid, combining onsite and online opportunities.
The conference runs late into the evening on the first day with a networking dinner and social event and concludes with closing remarks in the mid-afternoon on the second day. The program is packed with a number of speakers focusing on key topics related to clinical research and trial development.
Top Presentations to Attend
This is a two-day conference with several speakers, but the organizers have made sure attendees can attend all of the presentations. There’s no overlap or concurrent breakout sessions. However, if you aren’t able to attend all of the presentations, you will want to prioritize a few. Here are some of the best topics and speakers at this year’s conference.
The New Regulatory Landscape Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
Monday February 7th
9:45 – 10:15 CET
A main focus on the first day of the conference is the COVID-19 pandemic. This global crisis has fundamentally changed how many healthcare providers operate, and the clinical trial field is no different.
After opening remarks at the start of the conference, Edit Szepessy and Fergus Sweeney will touch on regulatory guidelines and challenges in a post-COVID world. Dr. Szepessy is a health protection auditor and inspector for the European Commission. Dr. Sweeney has served as head of the Clinical Studies and Manufacturing Taskforce at the European Medicines Agency since March 2020. Both have extensive knowledge in compliance and regulations in regard to clinical trials. Their presentation will focus on updated best practices due to the pandemic.
Medical Device Registry as a Tool To Provide Evidence. The Experience of Italy in Implementing the National Registry of Implantable Prostheses.
Monday February 7th
16:15 – 16:45 CET
Marina Torre, who recently co-wrote a report on the topic with Virgilia Toccaceli, will present.
“We are now at the forefront of a final legal and procedural step to design the Regulation of the Italian Implantable Prostheses Registry (RIPI) and to make data collection mandatory,” write Torre and Toccaceli. “This can ensure prostheses traceability, recall of patients and fuel biomedical and epidemiological research. Data completeness will be greatly improved when the Regulation is issued.”
Learn more about the process of implementing such a program and how patients stand to benefit.
Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD)
Tuesday February 8th
09:30 – 10:00 CET
Rainel Sanchez-de la Rosa, executive director, medical head of Innovative Evidence at Novartis, will be presenting on patient generated health data. This data comes in a variety of forms, from health history and lifestyle to biometric data. PGHD can be created by the patient through monitors or recorded by family members. This type of data collection is increasingly relied on when selecting patients for clinical trials and evaluating their progress.
Freely Given Informed Consent: Challenges
Tuesday February 8th
10:00 – 10:30 CET
Elmar Doppelfeld, president of the European Network of Research Ethics Committees, is giving this presentation on the nature of informed consent. “EUREC is a network that brings together already existing national Research Ethics Committees (RECs) associations, networks or comparable initiatives on the European level.”
Doppelfeld’s discussion on informed consent should focus on best practices for clinical research organizations and how changes to informed consent can benefit both patients and trial outcomes.
The GDPR Code of Conduct: Good Data Processing Practice for Service Providers in Clinical Research
Tuesday February 8th
13:15 – 13:35 CET
Yoani Matsakis is treasurer at EUCROF and has served as the CEO and board chair at Telemedicine Technologies for more than two decades. He has extensive experience working in the clinical research industry in Greece, France and across the European Union.
Matsakis will review the GDPR Code of Conduct and provide concrete best practices for service providers who operate in the field of clinical research.
The Future of Clinical Research
Tuesday February 8th
14:15 – 15:00 CET
The conference ends with a panel discussion that looks ahead to the future of clinical research. The panel, moderated by Doug Peddicord, Executive Director of the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ARCO) and features speakers from Novartis, EMA, and BfArM. This panel directly follows the afternoon presentations on breaking news in clinical research, so you can expect the topics to bleed together for a thorough discussion. How does breaking news today affect clinical research tomorrow?
There’s Still Time to Attend
While the registration deadline to attend the 6th European Conference on Clinical Research is fast approaching, you can still buy your tickets and book your stay in Madrid. The program creators will keep registration open through early February. The valuable topics and authoritative presenters make this conference one of the leading discussions on clinical trials and patient care in early 2022.
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