Key Points:
- To keep pace with the growing field of clinical research Medical & Paramedical professional must have knowledge of Clinical Research
- Knowledge of Clinical Research & Trial enhances the scope of growth & employability, both in Hospitals & Pharma-Biotech Companies
- More you are aware of the rules & regulations of Clinical Research, the better you will be able to negotiate with the sponsors/employers.
When any new drug or health-related diagnostic instrument etc is discovered; first they should be tested for their efficacy and safety on human beings. This whole process is called clinical research. Medical and paramedical professionals have an important role in clinical research programs. The medical profession is an occupation aimed at protecting, promoting, and restoring good health with a focus on identifying, diagnosing, and treating illnesses using scientific and highly specialized knowledge.
A medical professional operates within all branches of health care, including medicine, surgery, dentistry, midwifery, pharmacy, psychology, nursing, or allied health professions. A healthcare professional who provides medical services to patients under the supervision of a physician or medical professional is called a paramedical professional. Paramedics mainly work as part of emergency medical services. The scope of practice of a paramedic varies among countries, but generally includes autonomous decision-making around the emergency care of patients. Nurses, therapists, technicians, pharmacists, and other ancillary personnel involved in medical care are paramedical professionals. But the coordination between medical and paramedical professionals is very important to take care of the patients. In a similar fashion, to perform the clinical research both have an important role to perform the study.
A clinical research team also encompasses both medicals as well as paramedical professionals. Medical professionals are an integral part of pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Medical professionals take care of clinical development including clinical trials, adverse event monitoring, and scrutiny of promotional material i.e. of medico-marketing. They can study the effect of various newly developed drugs. They are responsible for providing medical and clinical expertise to internal and external groups and provide significant input in designing, conducting, and reporting clinical trials. The primary goal of the medical professional in clinical research is to connect research, product development, and scientific publications. These are involved in promoting the work of research and development to inform about the proper use of the products, therapies, and diagnostics. Medical professionals are involved in the training of sales representatives and marketing staff and contribute to the interpretation of scientific data for the company. They should have a deep knowledge of clinical and academic education. A medical professional who involves clinical research has the following roles:
- To work as a principal investigator for clinical studies
- To advise on the development of clinical trial designs, protocols, and study reports
- To conduct safety medical reviews and surveillance activities for new products
- To contribute towards the development of pharmaceutical regulatory documents and dossiers
- To contribute to medico-marketing
- To build relationships with key opinion leaders in the pharmaceutical industry
- To organize and participate in new product launch events
- To support sales and marketing teams
A medical professional who is involved in clinical research should have the following skills and competencies:
- Good communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Good public speaking skills
- Ability to multitask
- Leadership skills
Along with medical professionals, the paramedical staff has an important role in clinical research. There are various paramedical professionals involved in clinical research such as:
- Medical Technologists
- Biochemists
- Nurses
- Radiology technicians
- Optometric Technicians
- Medical Biotechnologist
Clinical Research is a highly regulated field, where authorities have defined the roles & responsibilities of each stakeholder. Clinical trials are driven and govern by standard operating procedures. These are regularly monitored and audited by sponsors and regulatory authorities. So to get maximum benefits of the growing field of clinical research medical and paramedical professionals involved in clinical research must have a thorough knowledge of the drug development process and related rules & regulations.
Once you equip yourself with complete knowledge of clinical research then the sky is the limit. Moreover, deep knowledge is necessary for the team so that they can dig out a new or unnoticed observation from the newly discovered drug or medicine, etc.
