Clinical Trials in Serbia
When someone mentions Serbia in a scientific context, the name of Nicola Tesla inevitably comes to mind. But very few people know that Serbia has produced some of the truly great minds in medicine. One such scientist is Miodrag Radulovacki, who is considered to be the father of modern sleep apnea research, a disease that affects nearly a billion people worldwide.
Over the years, Serbia has become a highly reputable place to conduct clinical research. The country has actively strived towards developing a robust healthcare system and adopted full GCP compliance. There are 322 clinical trials currently occurring inside Serbia’s borders.
Increasing number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are now willing to see Serbia as a potential regional hub for their business operations and thus make significant investments in the Serbian market.
Country overview
Serbia’s unique geographic location at the intersections of Central and Southeastern Europe makes it an easily accessible destination. This is also a reason why Serbia has such an ethnically diverse population. Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and is one of the oldest cities in Europe, having historical roots well into the Roman times. Its central location makes it a perfect choice for the country’s financial and cultural epicenter.
Over the past two decades, Serbia has been able to develop a thriving healthcare sector while still having a substantial treatment-naive population. Consequently, Serbia has emerged as one of the world’s favored destinations for clinical research.
Healthcare sector in Serbia
The current life expectancy in Serbia is 76, with the largest proportion of the population is between ages of 15 and 64 years. 21.3% of the population is above the age of 65. Today the number of hospital beds per 100,000 inhabitants is 5.41.
Reasons to conduct clinical trials in Serbia
The country’s efforts to further strengthen and enhance its well-established clinical research sector are constantly expanding. The decision to perform clinical trials within Serbian borders is an excellent choice for several reasons:
- High recruitment rates and vast patient population
- Moderate research costs and investigator fees
- High quality standards of clinical research
- High-quality, accredited research units tailored to clinical trials
- Well-qualified, compliant, and experienced staff of GCP-certified investigators
- Enhanced regulatory framework and validated safety guidelines under the Medicine and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia
- An increasing and ever-improving business infrastructure for clinical trials, including advancing medical devices
- An opportunity to participate in clinical trials gives Serbian patients an opportunity to have access to novel biologics, which are still limited under the state-funded supply programs, furthering the motivation
- Finally, a GMP certificate is sufficient for regulatory submissions and compliance and the European Union QP Statement is not required
Also, it is essential to note that Belgrade is home to the Clinical Centre of Serbia, the country’s most reputable center for clinical trials. It is one of Europe’s most prominent clinical institutions, with over 50 research installations and 3150 beds, the largest in the European Union area.
Cromos Pharma – you 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 Serbia 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 Serbia or in any other countries where Cromos Pharma is present, our team would be happy to answer any of your questions.
