Singapore Clinical Trials Symposium Brings Together Local and International Clinical Research Community to Reimagine the Future of Clinical Trials

SINGAPORE, 30 July 2026 — The Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI) today convened its Clinical Trials Symposium 2026, bringing together leading minds from Singapore and across the international clinical research community to chart the next chapter of clinical trials here and beyond. The Symposium, which also marks the 30th anniversary of SCRI, highlighting Singapore's commitment to advancing clinical research through international collaboration, technological innovation, and greater public participation.

A Milestone Year for SCRI

This year's Symposium carries special significance as SCRI celebrates its 30th anniversary — three decades of contributing to Singapore's clinical research capabilities and its growth into a trusted hub for medical research and innovation. The occasion was graced by Guest of Honour, Professor Kenneth Mak, Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health.

Global Regulators Converge on Technology, Data and the Future of Clinical Research

In the opening plenary panel, three prominent regulatory leaders — Dr Robert Califf, the former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Ms Emer Cooke, the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA); and Adjunct Professor (Dr) Raymond Chua, the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) — came together to examine how new technologies and modalities are transforming the design and conduct of clinical trials in a fast-paced and ever-changing landscape.

Moderated by Professor John Lim, Professor & Executive Director, Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE), Duke-NUS, the discussion explored the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies present for regulators, researchers, and patients alike. Panellists also delved into the growing role of artificial intelligence in informing regulatory decisions, and what it would take to make Singapore a more attractive destination for clinical trials. Together, these conversations pointed to what a future-ready regulatory framework might look like in an era of rapidly evolving innovation.

Three MOUs to Advance Singapore's Clinical Trials Ecosystem

As part of the Symposium, SCRI and its parent company, the Consortium of Clinical Research and Innovation (CRIS), signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with eight key public and private sector partners, strengthening Singapore's standing as a leading destination for clinical trials. The agreements span a range of priorities: including deepening patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in research; enabling early access to trials of novel modalities in Singapore and forging strategic industry partnerships to attract cutting-edge clinical research, accelerate the development of innovative therapies, and strengthen Singapore's position as a globally connected clinical research and innovation hub. Further details on each MOU are available in ANNEX A.

Voices that Matter: Patient Advocates in Clinical Research

At the heart of every clinical trial is the patient — and yet, many in Singapore have never participated in one, often due to limited awareness of how trials work or how to find out about available opportunities. Recognising that greater awareness and accessibility are key to participation, the Symposium brought together Singapore clinical experts and a patient ambassador to speak candidly about the myths surrounding clinical trials, the barriers patients face, and why diverse public participation is essential to medical progress.

Among those voices was Ms Wendy Loo, a two-time clinical trial participant turned ambassador with Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and ESTHER Network Singapore. She shared her personal journey — from anxiety and the "guinea pig" stigma she encountered from friends and family, to discovering in Assoc Prof George Goh and his team at SGH’s Clinical Trials Research Centre, a partnership built on empathy and trust that ultimately led her to become a Clinical Trial Ambassador Programme (CTAP) ambassador. "I hope my involvement in clinical trials today, both as a patient and ambassador, will contribute to advancing medical research, and thus pave the way to benefit countless others in the future," she said. Wendy’s full story can be found in ANNEX B.

This spirit of building trust in clinical research also underpinned another significant milestone at the Symposium. CRIS and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) are co-developing the first National Guidance Document for Patient and Public Involvement in Health Research.

One of the voices shaping the Document is Ms Evelyn Yeo, 49, a patient partner at LKCMedicine and former MedTech professional, who is part of the Document’s development team. Drawing on her nearly a decade of navigating the healthcare system alongside her father, who lives with dementia and Parkinson's Disease, Evelyn brings the often-overlooked voice of the caregiver. Evelyn’s full story can be found in ANNEX C.

Together, Wendy and Evelyn’s stories illuminate why building public trust in clinical research is not just a policy priority — it is a deeply human one.

Members of the media who wish to arrange interviews with Wendy, Evelyn, or our clinical experts are welcome to reach out to us at the contact details below.

About the Singapore Clinical Research Institute

SCRI was established in 2008 as the national academic clinical research organisation to enhance the standards of clinical research in Singapore by developing core capabilities, infrastructure and scientific leadership for clinical research. In 2021, SCRI was appointed as the national coordinating body to implement the national clinical trial strategy and enhance Singapore's clinical trial ecosystem. This is accomplished through the deployment of innovative technologies and processes, and strategic coordination of ecosystem capabilities and infrastructure to achieve synergies that will enhance the clinical research ecosystem aimed towards a healthier community and better patient outcomes.

SCRI's key pillars include:

1. National Coordinating Office

2. Academic Research Organisation

3. SCRI Academy

4. Clinical Research Network

5. Clinical Research Analytics Group

SCRI is a programme of the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS). SCRI is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health through the NMRC Office, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd under the NMRC Industry Sponsored Trials (MOH-002073) and Core Funding for Clinical Research Enablers (MOH-002074) funding initiatives.

For more information, please visit https://www.scri.edu.sg/ ↗ (opens in new tab)

About the Consortium of Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS)

CRIS was established in 2020 with the goal of strengthening synergies and developing strategies for national-level clinical research and translation programmes that are under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health. It is a subsidiary of MOH Holdings.

CRIS brings together seven key national-level R&D initiatives and facilitates synergistic collaborations among them. These initiatives include:

1. Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI)

2. National Health Innovation Centre Singapore (NHIC)

3. Advanced Cell Therapy and Research Institute, Singapore (ACTRIS)

4. Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE)

5. Singapore Translational Cancer Consortium (STCC)

6. Cardiovascular DiseasE National Collaborative Enterprise (CADENCE)

7. Singapore Medical Foundation AI model (SIMFONI)

CRIS aims to make a positive difference to Singapore patients and researchers by ensuring that these clinical research platforms and programmes are at the cutting edge of capability development and innovation. This will be achieved through facilitated collaborations and enduring partnerships with research and biomedical entities, as well as communities across the public sector and industry across Singapore.

For more information, please visit https://www.cris.sg ↗ (opens in new tab)

Media Contact:

Loi San San

Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore

san.san.loi@cris.sg

Trixie Teo

Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications

Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore

trixie.teo@cris.sg

ANNEX A

MOU 1: Between CRIS and Nanyang Technological University Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (NTU LKCMedicine) for Patient and Public Involvement Engagement (PPIE)

Signatories:

1. CRIS: Adjunct Associate Professor Danny Soon (CEO)

2. NTU LKCMedicine: Professor Joseph Sung (Dean, LKCMedicine; Senior Vice President (Health & Life Sciences), NTU Singapore)

CRIS and the Office of Patient Engagement (OPEN) at NTU LKCMedicine have partnered to co-develop Singapore's first National Guidance Document for Patient and Public Involvement in Health Research. This partnership has brought together six patient partners and 23 researchers, clinicians and healthcare professionals, to ensure that health research and innovation truly reflect the needs of the communities they serve. As part of the initial groundwork, the team has created a roadmap, identifying key cultural, regulatory and systemic priorities for this Singapore-specific resource, which will be developed over two years.

To access the roadmap, visit Roadmap for a National Guidance Document for Patient and Public Involvement in medical research, including clinical trials, in Singapore ↗ (opens in new tab)

MOU 2: Between AstraZeneca (AZ), CRIS, NHG Health, National University Health System (NUHS) and SingHealth on Advancing Innovative Clinical Trials in Singapore

Signatories:

1. AZ: Ms Kim Suyeon (Country President Singapore)

2. CRIS: Adjunct Associate Professor Danny Soon (CEO)

3. NHG Health: Professor Joe Sim (Group CEO)

4. NUHS: Associate Professor Dan Yock Young (Deputy Chief Executive)

5. SingHealth: Professor Ng Wai Hoe (Group CEO)

AZ, CRIS, NHG Health, NUHS, and SingHealth are collaborating to advance Singapore's clinical research footprint and early access for novel modalities. Under this partnership, AZ aims to bring early and late phase innovative trials, spanning antibody-drug conjugates, cell and gene therapies, radioconjugates, bispecific antibodies and more over five years.

Together, the parties will work towards streamlining study start-up processes, shorten regulatory timelines, and establish coordinated working structures that support efficient trial delivery.

MOU 3: Between Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), Economic Development Board (EDB), SCRI, Health Sciences Authority (HSA), NHG Health, National University Health System (NUHS) and SingHealth on Catalysing Clinical Trials Excellence: A National Partnership to Advance Singapore’s Clinical Trials Ecosystem

Signatories:

1. EnterpriseSG: Ms Cindy Khoo (Managing Director)

2. EDB: Mr Jermaine Loy (Managing Director)

3. SCRI: Adjunct Associate Professor Danny Soon (ED)

4. HSA: Adjunct Professor (Dr) Raymond Chua (CEO)

5. NHG Health: Professor Joe Sim (Group CEO)

6. NUHS: Associate Professor Dan Yock Young (Deputy Chief Executive)

7. SingHealth: Professor Ng Wai Hoe (Group CEO)

EnterpriseSG, EDB, SCRI, HSA, NHG Health, NUHS and SingHealth are collaborating to support healthcare innovations that will accelerate clinical trials for sponsors, which includes local and global biomedical and biopharmaceutical companies, in Singapore. This five-year MOU will benefit patients and strengthen Singapore’s position as a biomedical innovation hub and a preferred destination for clinical trials.

There are two key areas of collaboration under the MOU:

1. Integrated clinical trial concierge service

SCRI and HSA will jointly establish and operate an integrated clinical trial concierge service that provides sponsors with a coordinated entry point into Singapore’s clinical research and regulatory ecosystem. The service will help companies navigate Singapore’s end-to-end clinical trial pathway by providing coordinated access to the relevant agencies, healthcare institutions and ecosystem partners, from early study planning and trial set-up through to regulatory requirements and downstream product development considerations. By connecting partners, improving predictability and accelerating study start-up, the initiative will strengthen Singapore’s value proposition as a preferred destination for innovative clinical research, global clinical development and next-generation therapies.

2. Enhanced support of strategic industry-sponsored trials

EnterpriseSG, EDB, NHG Health, NUHS and SingHealth will increase their support for strategic industry-sponsored clinical trials that align with healthcare and biomedical innovation goals. Such support includes the allocation of institutional resources, clinical expertise and operational support to reduce bottlenecks, where applicable, by public healthcare clusters - NHG Health, NUHS and SingHealth.

ANNEX B

A Patient's Perspective on Clinical Trials in Singapore

Every approved treatment begins with a human story. Here is Wendy's.

Wendy didn't join a clinical trial out of desperation. She joined it as a choice — an informed, deliberate act of ownership over her own health, and a quiet act of service to future patients she will never meet. Watching her mother struggle without access to better treatments left a mark. When the opportunity came to participate in a trial at Clinical Trials Research Centre (CTRC), Singapore General Hospital (SGH), she said yes — not once, but twice.

Like many patients, Wendy felt anxious at first. The weekly self-administered injections, frequent hospital visits, and battery of tests demanded real commitment. Friends and family were initially sceptical, assuming she was very unwell and had no other option. They worried she would be treated like a "guinea pig”. She understood their concern. But under the care of Assoc Prof George Goh and his team, she found something she hadn't expected: a great care experience and partnership built on empathy, transparency, and trust.

That experience transformed her. Today, Wendy serves as a clinical trial ambassador with CTRC, SGH and ESTHER Network SG¹ — someone who has crossed from patient to advocate, using her story to open doors for others who might otherwise walk away out of fear or misunderstanding.

Wendy's story sits at the heart of a larger conversation Singapore urgently needs to have. Clinical trial participation here remains hampered by stigma, low public literacy, and awareness efforts that inform but rarely inspire. Having spent her career in public service, Wendy brings a rare combination of lived patient experience and a systems-level perspective — and at the Symposium, she will take to the stage as a panel speaker for Track 8: Demystifying Clinical Trials, lending her voice to a broader conversation about how Singapore can strengthen public confidence and improve participation in clinical research.

She is available to speak to her personal journey, the realities of trial participation, and what a more trial-ready Singapore could look like — and why it matters for every one of us.

¹ Launched in 2016, ESTHER Network Singapore aims to promote the philosophy of person-centred care and to train a pipeline of ESTHER Coaches to drive improvement work to better serve our patients and their caregivers.

ANNEX C

A Caregiver's Perspective on Clinical Trials in Singapore

Evelyn didn't set out to become a patient advocate. She became one the way many caregivers do — gradually, through nearly a decade of accompanying her father through the relentless progression of dementia and Parkinson's Disease.

That journey gave her a deep understanding of what it means to navigate a healthcare system when the stakes are personal. She saw that every patient's path is shaped not just by their condition, but by the support systems around them — and not everyone has the same resources or ability to advocate for themselves.

Today, she channels that experience into something concrete. As an OPEN Voices patient partner with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine since 2025, Evelyn contributes to shaping research and policy through her lived insights. Most notably, she is helping to co-develop Singapore's first National Guidance Document for Patient and Public Involvement in Health Research — a resource she believes will serve as a practical bridge between researchers and patient partners in a landscape where such involvement is still finding its footing.

Underlying all of this is a thread that runs back to childhood — a lifelong fascination with medicine that once made her dream of becoming a doctor. Through her advocacy work, she has found her own way in, contributing meaningfully to a healthcare system that works better for everyone who depends on it.

She is available to speak to her caregiving journey, her work in patient and public involvement, and what it means to bring the caregiver's voice into the heart of research.