Clinical Trials in Romania
With a growing population of 19,4 million inhabitants, Romania is the twelfth-largest country in Europe and the seventh-most populous member state of the European Union. With its clinical research activity on the rise, it is currently the home to more than 500 clinical trials.
In recent years, Romania has become a popular destination for international pharmaceutical companies seeking to conduct clinical trials in Europe. Romania has a well-developed healthcare system, well-trained investigators, a favorable regulatory environment, and a diverse patient population that is eager to participate in clinical trials.
Country Overview
Romania is a sovereign state, located at the crossroads of southeastern and central Europe and situated in the northern part of the historically significant Balkans, bordering the Black Sea. Its capital, Bucharest, is the 8th largest city in the European Union.
Additionally, Romania is one of the advanced European telemedicine hubs, where technology is considered a primary growth driver. The national telemedicine network includes two command centers at Floreasca Hospital in Bucharest and Clinical Emergency Hospital of Târgu Mureș, which cover 56 hospitals in 19 counties.
The Center for Innovation in Medicine is an organization based in Bucharest, focused on the innovation in healthcare. It is a non-governmental organization that aims to shorten the time between the emergence of innovations in medical sector and their application for patients benefit in Romania and elsewhere. It also serves as an independent platform for informed dialogue between all stakeholders in the field of precision medicine, digital health, immune-oncology, cancer research, biotechnology, systems biology, and other emerging scientific fields.
Healthcare Sector
The healthcare sector in Romania has undergone significant changes in recent years, with a focus on improving the quality of care and expanding access to medical services. The following are some of the key aspects:
- Healthcare system: Romania has a public healthcare system that provides medical services to citizens through a network of state-run hospitals and clinics. The government also offers a basic health insurance package to citizens, which covers the cost of medical services, medicines, and medical procedures.
- Private healthcare sector: In addition to the public healthcare system, there is a growing private healthcare sector in Romania, which offers high-quality medical services to patients. The private healthcare sector includes both for-profit and non-profit hospitals, clinics, and medical centers.
- Healthcare infrastructure: Romania has a well-developed healthcare infrastructure, with a network of hospitals and clinics that provide medical services to patients.
- Healthcare workforce: Romania has a large and qualified healthcare workforce, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. However, there are still some shortages of medical personnel in some areas of the country, particularly in rural areas.
- Healthcare financing: The healthcare sector in Romania is funded by the government, through the public healthcare system, and by private insurance companies. The government is also working to increase investment in the healthcare sector, to improve the quality of care and to expand access to medical services.
The current life expectancy in Romania is 76.5 years. The share of the population aged 65 increased by almost half a million people, from 16.1 percent in 2011 to 19 percent in 2021. The country provides 6.9 hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants.
Reasons to Conduct Clinical Trials in Romania
Over the past two decades, Romania has developed a thriving healthcare sector with high patient availability and fast recruitment timelines. Thus, it has become an attractive destination for clinical research. Apart from that, Romania has become more popular in the recent years due to:
- Access to a large pool of patients: Romania has a large patient population, making it easier to recruit participants for clinical trials.
- Lower cost: Romania has lower labor and operational costs compared to other countries in Europe, which translates into lower costs of clinical trial conduct.
- Experienced medical staff: Romania has a highly skilled medical workforce, with many doctors and nurses who are experienced in conducting clinical trials.
- Efficient regulatory environment: The Romanian regulatory environment is efficient and supportive of clinical trials, with a streamlined process for obtaining approvals and completing trials.
- Healthcare infrastructure: Romania has a strong healthcare infrastructure, with well-equipped medical facilities and easy access to medical supplies and equipment.
There are many high-quality investigational sites in Romania with abundant teaching hospitals and university clinics. There are 17 medical universities in Romania, while the number of university clinics stands at 39, which diagnostic capabilities are comparable to the highest international standards. In terms of Romania’s innovation centers, the city of Iasi, which is also the second-largest city in terms of the number of universities, is quite significant. The key medical imaging cluster in Romania and the whole EU is in Iasi. The cluster helps innovators and connects private healthcare organizations with businesses in the IT and software sectors. Iași’s Tehnopolis Technological Park also offers biotechnology lab services.
Starting in 2022, The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization in partnership with the POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest began organizing annual “Romania of the Future” forums, which include exhibitions featuring the results of research and innovations, as well as panel sessions and discussions in the area of research and entrepreneurship.
Cromos Pharma – your partner in International Clinical Research
Cromos Pharma has an experienced local team that effectively manages regulatory and contracting processes to ensure that studies can be initiated in the shortest period possible. We recruit highly educated and experienced staff that assures that each trial managed by our team in Romania produces exceptional data quality and reliable results.
Cromos Pharma combines global expertise with in-depth local experience and knowledge that translates into exceptional patient recruitment. Our team has met or reduced enrollment timelines in 95% of the conducted trials.
If you are considering conducting clinical trials in Romania or in any other countries where Cromos Pharma is present, our team would be happy to answer any of your questions.
