The Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) is successfully addressing the skills shortage in the clinical trials industry, seeing a 400 per cent increase in its specialised in-company training courses
This year the ICR is planning to run up to 90 customised training courses across the UK, Europe, America and India for the clinical research community, including some of the world's major pharmaceutical companies.
It is also holding another 50 public training courses throughout 2008 at its headquarters in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Only three years ago the ICR was operating around 25 in-company customised courses in the UK and a further 25 public courses.
The ICR's principal training consultant Martin Robinson commented: "The increase we have experienced for our training courses is outstanding, in particular our in-company courses.
"In the last year our trainers have travelled to Iceland, Bulgaria, Russia, France, Germany and the Netherlands to run courses.
"A few years ago that would not have even been considered.
"A 400 per cent rise in our in-company courses and double the number of public courses proves to us that the clinical research industry's skills shortage is being addressed and is slowly starting to improve".
The ICR's range of training courses covers subjects from clinical trial management and drug development to professional development and management skills.
The ICR's customers, which include both businesses and non-commercial organisations, can ask the ICR to deliver any of its public courses at the customer's offices, or adapt them to create a new course to satisfy the customer's needs.
