Clinical research associate (CRA)
What is a clinical research associate (CRA)?
The clinical research associate, or CRA, is responsible for setting up, coordinating, and overseeing clinical studies. Their tasks include planning, preparing, and helping to carry out clinical trials that test new or existing investigational products.
Some of the tasks which a CRA completes include:
- Monitoring the study to ensure it is being carried out in accordance with applicable regulations and laws
- Carrying out the selection, initiation, monitoring, and close-out visits at all clinical trial centers
- Managing study supplies
- Developing study procedures, methodology, and instructions for clinical trial staff
- Ensuring the safety and well-being of test subjects by working with ethics committees
- Submitting clinical trial documents for review and approval by ethics committees
- Collecting data and presenting it to other medical staff
How do clinical research associates improve the clinical trial process?
The CRA is the primary point of contact for multiple parties, including researchers, doctors, pharmacists, laboratories, and ethics committees. Not only are they responsible for communicating with all these parties, but the CRA is also responsible for ensuring that the risks and effects of an investigation product have been fully examined and approved before the products are released on the market.