Blog Post
Dear Colleagues:
This has been a year like no other our lifetime. We will all remember 2020 as both a terrible yet miraculous year.
While I have always championed our biopharmaceutical colleagues, I can honestly say that I have never been as proud of our industry as I am right now – looking back on a year of herculean efforts from scientists, researchers, regulators, and all of you on the front line helping to find vaccines and therapies to combat the scourge of COVID-19.
This past week, we watched on the news as trucks rolled out of manufacturing plants carrying the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate the medical professionals who have been showing up every day to care for those stricken by this horrible virus. At the start of this pandemic, most of the world couldn’t imagine that the “light at the end of the tunnel” in view today would be illuminated through the efforts of the clinical research industry. I could not think of a more powerful message this holiday season than your contribution to where we are today – watching vaccines delivered in record time because this industry rolled up our sleeves and got the job done.
At WCG, we stepped up to offer our expertise and service to the common cause of addressing the pandemic. In March, we launched our COVID-19 Resource Center, sharing our insights and analytics through our webinar series, FAQs, and WCG Trial Insights email series. Our Ethical Review Division waived protocol review fees for COVID-19 submissions and prioritized the review of COVID-19 studies. Our Clinical Services Division stepped up with remote CRC services to reduce risk of exposure to COVID-19 for research participants, and remote assessment services to protect your study endpoints. We are extremely proud to have supported hundreds of thousands of clinical research professionals with these insights and services.
There are many challenges ahead of us still in 2021. We’ll need to conduct more vaccine studies, investigate new therapies to combat the virus, and get back up to speed on research for non-COVID-19 interventions. While none of us know what lays ahead for 2021, this I promise you: WCG will be there to support these efforts and more. We stepped up in 2020, and we will do it again in 2021 – come what may.
Until then, please take some time this holiday to rest, relax, and enjoy the fruits of our accomplishments. I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year. Please continue to follow the CDC Guidelines to stay safe through this holiday season. I look forward to continuing our important work together in 2021.
With my admiration and affection,
Most sincerely,
Donald A. Deieso, PhD
Executive Chairman & CEO
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