Don Deieso and Dawn Flitcraft Recognized for Pioneering Efforts to Advance Patient-Centric Clinical Trials
Princeton, NJ – August 5, 2020 – WCG, the world’s leading provider of solutions that measurably improve the quality and efficiency of clinical trials, is pleased to announce that two company leaders have been featured in PharmaVOICE magazine’s annual July/August issue showcasing the 100 most inspiring individuals in the global life sciences industry. Donald A. Deieso, PhD, WCG’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Dawn Flitcraft, President of WCG’s Ethical Review Division, were recognized for the transformational work they are doing to drive a new era of clinical trials that enables collaboration across the research community, improves the patient experience and accelerates drug development.
“Dr. Donald Deieso’s mission is to ensure his company, WCG, and his colleagues, are consistently focused on saving lives,” says Taren Grom, editor, PharmaVOICE. “This dedication to a higher purpose epitomizes Dr. Deieso’s spirit as a human being and as a leader in the life-sciences industry. His courageous commitment to changing the status quo of the conduct of clinical trials is inspiring, not only to his teams, but to the entire industry. PharmaVOICE is honored to recognize his legacy of innovation on behalf of patients and caregivers as well as for his vision in creating a better tomorrow.”
Dr. Deieso is the recipient of a 2020 Red Jacket Award, which honors individuals who have been recognized multiple times throughout the years as a PharmaVOICE 100 inspiring leader and who continue to demonstrate a commitment to leadership, innovation, mentoring and philanthropy. In both 2016 and 2019, Dr. Deieso was named to the prestigious PharmaVOICE 100 in recognition of his integrity, vision, and ability to influence change across the global life sciences industry with his relentless commitment to doing what’s right for patients and their caregivers, while addressing opportunities to meaningfully reduce the burden on clinical trial participants and improve clinical trial programs. Under his leadership, WCG has grown across its two divisions – WIRB-Copernicus IRB, the oldest and largest commercial IRB, and WCG Clinical Services, the first clinical services organization (CSO) focused on improving the conduct of trials for the benefit of patient participants, sponsors, CROs, and investigative sites. Through the evolution of WCG, the company has never lost its focus on the primary mission – setting the highest standards of human participant protection.
Among hundreds of nominees, PharmaVOICE also selected Dawn Flitcraft, President of WCG’s Ethical Review Division, as one of 2020’s 100 most inspiring leaders. She drives the strategic direction and overall operations for the five institutional review boards (IRBs) that comprise the WCG IRBs – WIRB, Copernicus, Aspire, New England, and Midlands; as well as its Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs), which provide oversight for human gene therapy and human gene transfer; and for IRBNet, the leading compliance and research oversight technology for institutions and VA Medical Centers. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, she has led the mobilization of WCG’s IRBs to support clinical trial sponsors and the industry more broadly in navigating uncharted waters through the pandemic. Flitcraft spearheaded efforts to bring thought leaders and operational staff together to provide needed guidance for researchers who were challenged by the many scientific uncertainties of COVID-19. Recognizing the need for WCG to join the growing collaboration among those clients advancing coronavirus interventions, Dawn waived WCG’s initial protocol review fees assuring that administrative burdens would not stand in the way of prompt industry responses to the global crisis. Most important, she emphasized WCG’s commitment to the highest standards of scientific rigor and ethical values in the ethical reviews.
“When the world faces a crisis, especially one of the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, true leaders rise to the challenge and achieve remarkable results, and Dawn is undoubtedly among them and incredibly deserving of this honor,” said Dr. Deieso. “Dawn’s deep clinical trial expertise, dedication to patients and exceptional leadership skills have long been valued within WCG and throughout our industry. What has been especially noteworthy in the COVID-19 crisis, is her ability to inspire people with her passion to see challenges as an opportunity to innovate.”
Taren Grom of PharmaVOICE went on to add, “Dawn has demonstrated inspired leadership in the face of the current pandemic, remaining steadfast in her commitment to the IRB community and doing what’s right for patients. PharmaVOICE is proud to honor her as one of the most inspiring individuals in the life-sciences industry.”
Dr. Deieso commented: “Recognitions such as these from PharmaVOICE and industry peers are a direct reflection of the WCG team’s steadfast determination and commitment to the research community and the patients we all serve. I’m honored to work alongside such a mission-driven team and colleagues who are passionate about finding better, smarter ways to do things. The opportunity to profoundly benefit patients, both individually and at the population level, inspires the work we do every day and a tremendous sense of urgency to achieve our goals.”
To learn more about Dr. Deieso and Flitcraft’s inspiring leadership and their work at WCG, read their profiles in PharmaVOICE’s July/August 2020 digital edition of the magazine: https://www.pharmavoice.com/digital-edition/july-august-2020#1.
About WCG
WCG is the world’s leading provider of solutions that measurably improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research. Comprised of two divisions – the industry’s first central IRB – WIRB-Copernicus IRB, and first clinical services organization (CSO) – WCG enables biopharmaceutical companies, CROs, and institutions to accelerate the delivery of new treatments and therapies to patients, while maintaining the highest standards of human subject protection. For more information, please visit www.wcgclinical.com or follow us on Twitter @WCGClinical or LinkedIn.
About PharmaVOICE
PharmaVOICE is expressly written and designed to deliver the views, opinions, and insights of executives who are shaping the direction of the dynamic life-sciences industry. PharmaVOICE reaches more than 46,000 BPA qualified subscribers and is distributed to 60,000 industry executives with its digital edition. Our circulation includes executives from pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, drug discovery, research & development, contract research, drug delivery, and device/diagnostic companies. The publication also targets decision makers at healthcare advertising, marketing, medical education, public relations, information technology, contract sales, traditional and nontraditional media, and other service support companies and organizations. The publication also reaches more than 60,000 users with its digital edition, which contains original exclusive bonus content. For more information, please visit www.pharmavoice.com.
For more than 15 years, PharmaVOICE magazine has recognized the most inspirational, motivational, and transformative individuals across the global life sciences industry in its annual July/August PharmaVOICE 100 issue. Among the thousands of executives nominated, PharmaVOICE selects 100 leaders based on substantive accounts that demonstrate how they have inspired or motivated their colleagues, peers, and competitors; have positively contributed to their own companies; and have given back to their communities and supported philanthropic causes. Honorees represent a broad cross-section of the global life sciences industry – from pharmaceutical and biotechnology, to contract research and technology, to academia and nonprofit organizations – and a wide variety of functional areas ranging from the clinic to the C-suite.