PUTRAJAYA, May 20 (Bernama) -- Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM), a Ministry of Health owned Site Management Organization, celebrated Clinical Trials Day on 19 May 2022 along with the Deputy Minister of Health I, Dato’ Dr. Haji Noor Azmi Bin Ghazali as well as stakeholders within the clinical research fraternity in Malaysia.
 
With the theme ‘Get Involved’, the Clinical Trials Day celebration honored trial volunteers, investigators, study team members, regulators as well as industry members who have supported the clinical research ecosystem in the country. CRM’s I AM AWARE Photography series was also showcased during the event, which highlighted real-life stories of several trial participants' journeys, aimed to enhance patients' and the public’s awareness about clinical trials. Several industry members also had exhibitions set up during the program, sharing on their latest research activities and developments.
 
The annual CRM Sponsored Research Awards were then presented by Dato’ Dr. Noor Azmi, on behalf of the Minister of Health, to outstanding achievers in sponsored clinical research in the country. Among clinicians who received the awards include Dr. Vijaya Kumar Suppan (Orthopedic Surgeon) from Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim and Associate Professor Dr. Lim Soo Kun (Consultant Nephrologist) from University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for contributing toward good clinical trial patient recruitment and high number of sponsored research uptake respectively. UMMC and Hospital Pulau Pinang were both recognized as ‘Top Study Site’ for conducting high number of sponsored studies in 2021, as well as being top sites in oncology. Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) received ‘Sponsor of the Year’ award for bringing in the highest value of new trials in 2021, while IQVIA Malaysia received ‘CRO of the Year’ award for contracting the highest number of new clinical trials in 2021. Two new awards were handed this year, to both Dato’ Dr. Fam Tem Lom (Consultant Physician) and Hospital Miri respectively, for demonstrating significant advancement in sponsored research conduct compared to the years before.
 
CRM had also initiated its 10th-anniversary celebration during the program, celebrating its decade milestone in supporting sponsored clinical research in the country. Set up in June 2012, the organization has since succeeded in its formation objectives in 2020 and have paved multiple collaborations and partnership with global partners in further enhancing the development of sponsored research within the nation, including the most recent partnership with Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), for the development of dengue treatment. Following this, Malaysia has now conducted over 1800 sponsored research since 2012 and has now gained the second position within the Southeast Asia region after Singapore, in terms of the number of global industry-sponsored studies. CRM as an organisation has also been certified with both ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System, committed to remaining steadfast in being a global trusted research management organization to its partners. “It has been a great pleasure to see how the clinical research industry has grown over the years with CRM’s facilitation in the conduct of trials in the country, and we look forward to more outstanding achievements in the future.”, remarked Dato’ Dr. Noor Azmi, during the event.
 
About Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM) 
Established by Malaysian Ministry of Health in 2012, Clinical Research Malaysia exists to advance global health solutions for a brighter, more hopeful future for the people by providing speedy and reliable end-to-end clinical research support for quality studies. CRM’s innate understanding of the local clinical research landscape with the international standards of operations coupled with fundamental backing of the government ministries provides the organisation an incomparable advantage to work with partners from the nascent stages of development to materialisation of the end product, in order to deliver better treatment and high-skilled job opportunities. 
 
Recipients of Sponsored Research Awards 2022: 
• Top Recruiter Award: Dr Vijaya Kumar Suppan (Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim) for achieving the highest number of subjects recruited in studies conducted in 2021.
• Investigator of the Year Award: Associate Professor Dr Lim Soo Kun (University of Malaya Medical Centre) for being among top Principal Investigator with high number of new sponsored research in 2021, in addition to co-authoring in a publication for a multinational study
• Top Study Site (Overall) Award: University of Malaya Medical Centre for having highest number of studies awarded in 2021, as well as being top oncology and infectious diseases study site.
• Top Study Site (MOH) Award: Hospital Pulau Pinang for being among top MOH sites in number of studies awarded in 2021 and for contracting highest study value among MOH sites in 2021.
• Significant Advancement Award (Site): Hospital Miri for being among the top infectious diseases study site in the country, and in marking significant growth in number of studies conducted as well as study value contracted, compared to the years before.
• Significant Advancement Award (Investigator): Dato’ Dr Fam Tem Lom for demonstrating significant increase in number of sponsored studies in 2021, which includes active participation in conducting Covid-19 treatment studies.
• Sponsor of the Year Award: Merck Sharp & Dohme for contributing highest cumulative study value in 2021 and among top sponsor for new studies of 2021. 
• CRO of the Year Award: IQVIA RDS Malaysia Sdn Bhd for contracting highest cumulative study value in 2021, and among top CROs in 2021 for new studies.

SOURCE: Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM) 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Asha Thanabalan  
Tel: +603-7931 5566 (ext. 122)  / +6012- 364 8043 
Email: asha@clinicalresearch.my  

--BERNAMA