Stephen Corson, Director of Operational Solutions at Phastar, explores the evolving role of contract research organizations (CROs) in a new article on clinical trial transformation for Contract Pharma. The piece examines how CROs are shifting from execution partners to strategic collaborators, and how functional service provider (FSP) models are reshaping outsourcing approaches.
He highlights the rapid growth of the APAC region as a global clinical research hub, the increasing complexity of trial design driven by rare diseases and precision medicine, and the growing importance of AI-enabled data management. The article also considers how shifting regulatory expectations are accelerating demand for advanced biometrics, data science expertise, and innovative methodologies.