BBK Worldwide and ACRES Collaborate on Patient Role in Research

BBK Worldwide, a leading clinical trial marketing firm, and the Alliance for Clinical Research Excellence and Safety (ACRES), an Alliance-driven non-profit organization operating in the public interest and dedicated to enhancing quality, safety, integrity and operational effectiveness in drug development and health research, are collaborating to ensure that patients are a central part of the organization’s efforts in standards development, one aspect of ACRES work in the development of a global system for clinical research.

Under the new partnership, BBK Founding Principal Bonnie A. Brescia will participate in the Alliance organization’s efforts around patient centricity and advocacy, including the ACRES Site Accreditation and Standards Initiative (SASI) Phase III patient engagement subcommittee. Building on earlier phases, which surveyed the current clinical research environment to identify key issues regarding site standards, the third phase involves formal creation of standards and metrics for site accreditation. Experts drawn from the global stakeholder community will develop standards in at least seven domains, including that of recruitment and enrollment.

A recognized industry thought leader, Ms. Brescia has been working to ensure that patients have a seat at the table of clinical research for more than 30 years. “BBK brings the experience in patient recruitment and engagement needed to help facilitate a comprehensive patient-centric strategy needed for the development of a global system,” said Dr. Greg Koski, President and CEO of ACRES. “We look forward to working with Ms. Brescia and leveraging her deep recruitment expertise.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with ACRES in this way, as we know that they are equally committed to raising the voice of the patient,” said Bonnie A. Brescia, BBK founding principal. “Organizations with a patient-centric approach will outperform and maintain a competitive advantage over those who are solely focused on their bottom line. By including patients in study design, outreach, message development, site orientation and training – we all benefit. And we couldn’t be happier to see the ways in which the industry is working to bring patients in to the research process.”

“There is nothing more important in a clinical trial than the participants. Developing and implementing more effective approaches to reach and engage patients in the process as true partners, as an integral part of the endeavor, rather than as mere resources for getting trials done, is critical,” continued Dr. Koski.