"Even when a company has an established in-house team, it may make sense to outsource some activities. If the clinical team encounters an increased workload that is only short-term, then it might not make sense to hire new staff for those positions," explained Jeremy Spivey, Senior Research Analyst at Cutting Edge Information, in the summer interview for pharmaphorum.

However, opinions on outsourcing often differ, with many opponents highlighting its cost. When outsourcing, the company may lose the leverage to develop innovative solutions to new problems and thus may work inefficiently; this is only one of many issues, why outsourcing is not necessarily the best option.

What is the current situation of outsourcing in SEE and CIS? Where lie the opportunities and obstacles in the market for outsourcing clinical trials? Should pharma companies consider clinical trial outsourcing as a way to save time, effort and money?

More than 80 regional industry professionals will discuss these questions at the SEE & CIS Clinical Trials Forum, Fleming Europe's 6th Annual conference scheduled for 18 - 19 April 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Due to the current economic situation among CIS countries - large populations, less developed health care systems, often unclear legislation, and "specific business climate" - there are many opportunities to recruit fast study participants to pharma companies. Therefore more of the hottest topics on conducting trials in this highly attractive region will be discussed at the 2013 event.

In the framework of 2x2 parallel streams, attendees will have the chance to choose from regional case studies. Experts from Russia, Turkey, Serbia and Ukraine will mainly focus on the administrative procedures needed to conduct clinical trials in the SEE & CIS regions, schedules for approval, ethical standards and compliance with global standards.

During the afternoon streams, the latest challenges in virtual clinical trials and the newest trends in utilizing social media as a tool for patient recruitment will be presented.

To learn how to maximise the success of Clinical Trials in the SEE & CIS region, join Fleming Europe's 6th Annual SEE & CIS Clinical Trials Forum. Find more information on the event website.

You are also welcome to join discussions in Pharma R&D and Clinical Trials Forum.