By Raf Lemmens
Outsourcing may speed things up, but responsibility never leaves the sponsor.
Today’s ’Co‑creation: Science in Collaboration’-event at Uppsala Business Park was a good reminder of that.
A few reflections that stuck with me:
– Rosanne Veerman shared Strike Pharma AB product development journey and clearly showed that choosing a Contract Research Organization (CRO) is about much more than availability. Relevant expertise and real collaboration experience matter — often more than we’d like to admit at the start of a project.
– Antonio Bermejo Gómez brought Synartro’s journey to life and illustrated something many small or virtual biotech companies recognize: without strong scientific leadership and solid project management, juggling multiple CROs quickly becomes a bottleneck rather than a solution.
– Marie Wik shared thoughtful reflections on internal vs external research. What stayed with me was her emphasis on expectation setting. Many CRO challenges don’t start with bad science, but with misaligned assumptions about roles, decisions, and ways of working.
And this is where governance comes in.
From both an EU and US regulatory perspective, the sponsor always remains accountable, regardless of how much work is outsourced. That means “getting to know your CRO” is not a nice‑to‑have. It’s part of your responsibility. Beyond technical capability, it’s about understanding a partner’s quality culture, mindset, and decision‑making.
Good CRO governance isn’t about adding bureaucracy. It’s about creating the conditions for collaboration to work, while keeping ownership and accountability where they belong.
A valuable reminder that successful outsourcing starts long before the first study begins.
Thanks to the speakers and organizers for a thoughtful and inspiring event.