Contract research organizations supply contracts

The cost of a clinical trial arises from both internal and external costs. Internal costs are those incurred within the sponsor s organization (personnel, office supplies, etc.) external costs are those incurred on such items as investigators, laboratories, travel and so on. Quantification of the internal costs, especially those associated with personnel, has proved a persistent challenge, as discussed below. The costs of a typical contract research organization (CRO) may be viewed as shifting costs from internal to external. 

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