Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI) unraveled Singapore’s ClinicalTrials.SG at the SCRI Clinical Trials Symposium 2024 happening on 30 to 31 July 2024. The two-day inaugural symposium organised by SCRI marks a significant milestone for the Singapore research ecosystem.

SCRI Clinical Trials Symposium 2024 was themed “The Promise of Clinical Trials: Transforming Tomorrow’s Health”. The forum offers an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking among healthcare leaders, patient advocates, and regulatory representatives.

The symposium brings together 500 clinicians, researchers, academics, and industry experts in clinical research and trials from both the public and private sector, and includes patients and clinical trial participants, coming together in a collaborative effort to advance clinical research. The symposium is a first of its kind here in Singapore for the clinical research community, which features sessions that delve into the impact of patient advocacy groups and community involvement in advancing clinical research, and the role of clinical trials in driving improved health outcomes and their potential to boost the economy.

Patient advocacy is increasingly vital in clinical research, ensuring that patient perspectives shape trial design and implementation. Patient insights into needs and experiences enhance research relevance and effectiveness. Integrating patient voices aligns with ethical standards, and regulators are recognising its importance, developing guidelines to support patient involvement in research and trials.

Local clinical trials offer early access to innovative therapies, benefiting patients in Singapore. These trials also generate economic value, attracting investments in biomedical sciences and creating job opportunities. Research outcomes inform clinicians and health systems on effective strategies for diseases like cancer and infectious diseases, leading to evidence-based guidelines and improved patient care. The data collected from clinical trials can be used to generate evidence-based guidelines which will shape clinical practices and treatment standards, leading to better patient care.

Adj A/Prof Danny Soon, Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS), and Executive Director of SCRI said, "The launch of ClinicalTrials.SG is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to support clinical research and improve patient and healthcare outcomes in Singapore. Clinical trials contribute significantly to the development of new therapies and treatments. Therefore, by making clinical trial information more accessible and easier to understand, we hope to encourage greater awareness on clinical trials among the public and enhance collaboration for clinical research professionals.”

Prof John Lim, Chairman, Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS) said, “SCRI is committed to providing the necessary infrastructure to facilitate clinical research. In recent years, SCRI has focused on strategic initiatives aimed at supporting and nurturing clinical research competencies within Singapore. The launch of the centralised clinical trials portal, ClinicalTrials.SG is a welcome development for the clinical research ecosystem and is testament of SCRI’s deep-seated mission to advance clinical research towards improved health outcomes for our patients in Singapore”. Prof Lim is also Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Health and Executive Director of the Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE), Duke-NUS Medical School.