User:Bluerasberry/CenterWatch

CenterWatch, founded in 1994 by Ken Getz , is a privately owned publishing and information services provider of clinical trials information for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract research organizations, investigative sites, academic research and health centers, trial and site management organizations, clinical research professionals and patients.

CenterWatch was the first non-government site to publish detailed information about active clinical trials that could be accessed by patients and their advocates. CenterWatch currently has one of the largest databases of clinical trials with listings in 20+ therapeutic areas representing more than 650 medical conditions in 58 countries.

Publications and Services
CenterWatch publishes several books and publications ranging from professional training guides and regulatory compliance to industry analysis and news. CenterWatch also provides online information services for clinical research professionals seeking competitive market intelligence, business analysis, lead generation and site identification, and patient education resources.

Career Resources
JobWatch is CenterWatch’s online career and educational site, where companies can post open positions in the clinical research field. Job seekers can freely post resumes searchable by potential employers. It also lists training and academic degree programs and conferences for the clinical trials industry.

Health Associations
The CenterWatch web site includes links for patients to community blogs and support groups, health associations and patient associations by therapeutic area. CenterWatch collaborates with several disease-specific, nonprofit health associations to help distribute clinical trials information to research professionals and patients.

History
CenterWatch was founded in 1994 by Ken Getz, a senior research fellow at Tufts University, and Robert Whitaker, an author and medical journalist. In 1998, CenterWatch became Thomson CenterWatch when the company was acquired by Medical Economics, a division of The Thomson Corporation, now Thomson Reuters. In 2007, Thomson sold the company to Jobson Medical Information LLC, an integrated healthcare information and communications services provider. In April 2010, Getz and a group of private equity investors reacquired CenterWatch.

Patient Resources
CenterWatch provides patients with objective, unbiased information about clinical trials and clinical trial volunteering. The web site explains each phase of the clinical trials process, how and why to volunteer for a trial, and how to understand the informed consent process. It also includes a glossary of clinical trial terms and definitions, and a database of FDA-approved drugs back to 1995. Patients can search clinical trial listings posted by pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device companies and CROs seeking study volunteers.