The Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI) Launches Comprehensive Clinical Trials Portal

The Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI) Launches Comprehensive Clinical Trials Portal, A Welcome Boost to the Nation’s Clinical Research Ecosystem to Drive Innovation Towards Improved Health Outcomes for Patients

SINGAPORE, 30 July 2024 – Clinical trials are at the heart of medical advancements, where many of the advancements in the treatment of serious diseases have been made possible through clinical trials. Today, Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Research Foundation, launched the ClinicalTrials․SG (CTSG). CTSG is a comprehensive centralised clinical trials portal for patients and caregivers, clinical investigators, and clinical trial sponsors. 

Led by the Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI), the launch of the CTSG portal marks a significant step towards making clinical trials more accessible for more people. This initiative seeks to demystify clinical trials by providing easy to understand information about clinical research for the public and drive clinical research excellence in Singapore by meeting the diverse needs of the clinical research community. 

Key Features of ClinicalTrials.SG

Overview 

• Comprehensive clinical trials resource for all: a centralised clinical trials portal offering easy to understand information on clinical trials for patients / caregivers and clinical research professionals. The platform emphasises the importance of clinical trials, outlines the processes involved in clinical trials and regulatory frameworks in place to safeguard patient safety and clinical trial efficiency. 

For patients / caregivers 

• A platform dedicated to empowering the public to discover and participate in healthcare innovation: Recognising the pivotal role of patients, caregivers, and healthy volunteers in clinical research for medical advancement, CTSG provides a comprehensive introduction to clinical research and provides information about ongoing trials in Singapore. 

For Clinical research professionals 

• A portal that accelerates collaboration opportunities for clinical research professionals: The centralised clinical trials portal not only provides comprehensive information on ongoing trials but also serves as a hub for collaboration, linking researchers with academic and industry partners to foster innovation and advance clinical research. It includes details on regulatory and ethics requirements for clinical trials. Additionally, the portal offers information on available research grants in Singapore, training opportunities, and a directory of available clinical research resources such as Contract Research Organisations (CROs), Clinical Development and Manufacturing Organisations (CDMOs), laboratories, software platforms, and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. This wide array of resources 

• Biorepository resource for clinical investigators and clinical trial sponsors: This resource is a consolidated database featuring local and overseas specimens and imaging data specifically tailored for cardiovascular, oncology research, and other scientific studies. It offers clinical researchers and trial sponsors a wealth of data for their studies. This feature enhances research efficiency and facilitates further robust and clinical research studies. 

• Easy-to-use search engine with search and filter capabilities: Users can search for clinical trials based on specific health conditions, making it easier to find relevant trials quickly and efficiently.

ClinicalTrials․SG will be unveiled at the SCRI Clinical Trials Symposium 2024 which is themed “The Promise of Clinical Trials: Transforming Tomorrow’s Health.” The two-day inaugural symposium (30 to 31 July 2024) organised by SCRI marks a significant milestone for the Singapore research ecosystem. 

The symposium brings together 500 clinicians, researchers, academics, and industry experts in clinical research and trials from both the public and private sector, and includes patients and clinical trial participants, coming together in a collaborative effort to advance clinical research. It also offers an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking among healthcare leaders, patient advocates, and regulatory representatives. 

The symposium is a first of its kind here in Singapore for the clinical research community, which features sessions that delve into the impact of patient advocacy groups and community involvement in advancing clinical research, and the role of clinical trials in driving improved health outcomes and their potential to boost the economy.  

• Patient advocacy is increasingly vital in clinical research, ensuring that patient perspectives shape trial design and implementation. Patient insights into needs and experiences enhance research relevance and effectiveness. Integrating patient voices aligns with ethical standards, and regulators are recognising its importance, developing guidelines to support patient involvement in research and trials. 

• Local clinical trials offer early access to innovative therapies, benefiting patients in Singapore. These trials also generate economic value, attracting investments in biomedical sciences and creating job opportunities. Research outcomes inform clinicians and health systems on effective strategies for diseases like cancer and infectious diseases, leading to evidence-based guidelines and improved patient care. The data collected from clinical trials can be used to generate evidence-based guidelines which will shape clinical practices and treatment standards, leading to better patient care. 

Adj A/Prof Danny Soon, Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS), and Executive Director of SCRI said, "The launch of ClinicalTrials․SG is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to support clinical research and improve patient and healthcare outcomes in Singapore. Clinical trials contribute significantly to the development of new therapies and treatments. Therefore, by making clinical trial information more accessible and easier to understand, we hope to encourage greater awareness on clinical trials among the public and enhance collaboration for clinical research professionals.” 

Prof John Lim, Chairman, Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS) said, “SCRI is committed to providing the necessary infrastructure to facilitate clinical research. In recent years, SCRI has focused on strategic initiatives aimed at supporting and nurturing clinical research competencies within Singapore. The launch of the centralised clinical trials portal, ClinicalTrials․SG is a welcome development for the clinical research ecosystem and is testament of SCRI’s deep-seated mission to advance clinical research towards improved health outcomes for our patients in Singapore”. Prof Lim is also Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Health and Executive Director of the Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE), Duke-NUS Medical School. 

About ClinicalTrials․SG 

CTSG is Singapore Clinical Research Institute’s (SCRI’s) centralised clinical trials portal to serve as Singapore’s centralised portal for all things related to clinical trials. Crafted to cater to patients, caregivers, clinical investigators and corporations alike, CTSG is dedicated to make clinical trial information more accessible and understandable. By demystifying the clinical trial landscape, CTSG hopes to encourage greater interest in clinical trials, fostering innovation and improving health outcomes. 

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

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. Clinical Research Operations 

2. Clinical Research Networks 

3. Academic Research Partnerships 

4. SCRI Academy 

SCRI is a programme of the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS). ↗ (opens in new tab) SCRI is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health through the NMRC Office, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd under the NMRC Enablers and Infrastructure Support for Clinical Trials-related Activities funding initiative (MOH-001144). 

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