Research centre best in the world
Mzansi Ethical Research Centre (MERC), based at 184 Cowen Ntuli Street, Middelburg, made an international step forward for Clinical Research in South Africa.
How did they achieve this? MERC belongs to the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) which is an international Society.
At their recent Global Site Solutions Summit held in Florida, United States of America, the annual competition for Site Patient Recruitment Innovation Award (SPRIA) was held.
There were four international finalists who tied, and MERC was one of them.
Dr Mohammed Tayob, together with the other three finalists had to give a presentation based on their site’s Recruitment Strategies, to an audience of Clinical Research Sites, sponsors, pharmaceutical companies and Clinical Research Organisations.
There were five international independent judges in total and, at a very exciting event, the winner was announced: Mzansi Ethical Research Centre!
SCRS represents over 2 600 clinical research sites in 42 countries. This award was not only a first for South Africa but for the African continent.
On receiving the award Dr Tayob said: “It was very humbling to be recognised by our peers as the winner of this year’s SPRIA.
The award is recognition of our entire team’s effort. What we presented were ideas we have learned from the industry.
SCRS is a platform that will continue to drive the industry forward. We are inspired and are taking so much home with us from the 2015 Global Site Solutions Summit”.
So what does MERC do? We conduct clinical trials in order to have the medication, which is already registered in America, registered in South Africa.
“The centre is controlled very strictly by the Medicines Control Council and the Ethics Committees of South Africa.
In addition the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in America has to approve all Protocols that we work with.
The conditions research is conducted in, are Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, Asthma, COPD (smokers lungs), flu, complicated urinary tract infections, cholesterol, pneumonia to name but a few. We work with first world equipment and medication.”
