A few weeks ago, I posted about the potential for offshoring clinical trials--well, it's happening, according to this Reuters article on CNN:
Western drugmakers are shifting more clinical trials to emerging markets in a bid to save money, speed research and educate a new generation of local doctors about their products.
The article mentions a 46,000-patient trial Plavix and Toprol XL study done in China that was presented at the American College of Cardiology recently. Sanofi-Aventis SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co and AstraZeneca said it was the second largest heart attack study ever done, but it only cost $3 million, as opposed to $30 million to $60 million it would have cost in the United States. Even though they still had to cover travel for the docs' investigator meetings, cost per-patient was just 12 bucks.
Oh yeah, we'll be seeing more of this trend.
