“Extraordinary achievements under unprecedented conditions,” is how Chief Medical Officer Maria Ali describes the reality of a George Clinical team drawing on proven working models, established global relationships and an unflinching dedication to implement a clinical trial in a matter of weeks during a global pandemic.

 

Getting the job done despite extreme conditions

The extreme conditions of initiating a major global COVID-19 trial in the midst of pandemic lockdowns and limited resources only strengthened the resolve of George Clinical team members to do whatever was necessary to achieve critical, positive results. The experience of initiating any global clinical trial across timelines, continents and languages is daunting in the best of times. But doing so at the height of a pandemic under extreme pressure to expedite all timelines was a venture into uncharted territory. Never before had nearly every person around the world involved in a major clinical trial been under lockdown, forced to work remotely from home while facing perhaps the most critical deadlines in their careers. At the heart of all George Clinical researchers is a mission to improve the health of millions of people worldwide, and the prospect of helping provide an at-risk patient population with a better chance of surviving COVID-19 excited and inspired the team to do go above and beyond previous trial experiences.

 

? What was the most exciting aspect of being involved in this study for you?

 

Operating with resilience

An established George Clinical operational model, where science is at the forefront, proved to be highly effective in expediting this major COVID-19 trial. The organization’s promise to deliver “Science. Service. Solutions.” has been the basis of an internationally utilized operational model from the beginning, and this systematic approach proved to be particularly effective in expediting the myriad necessary steps to initiate this time-sensitive trial across multiple continents where, in some cases, it can sometimes be difficult to achieve regulatory approvals in a timely manner.

 

? How was George Clinical specifically suited to meet the challenges in this trial because of our Scientific Leadership model of operations and promise to deliver “Science. Service. Solutions.” to every trial we conduct?

 

Not only were George Clinical team members absorbed with easily the most ambitious, urgent and exhausting professional task of their careers, but each of them, like everyone across the world, were also trying to adapt to the “new normal” conditions imposed by the pandemic. The overlap of long working hours under extreme conditions and the physical and emotional stresses of lockdown required a unique balancing act for each team member according to their individual domestic situations.

 

? How did working on this major COVID-19 study challenge you personally?

 

International teams working as one

Measured and proven “business as usual” practices made it possible for the George Clinical team to work in an operating environment that was anything but usual.

“We are proud of the dedication and fortitude of George Clinical’s team members across the world who, despite seemingly insurmountable odds, were able to get this major COVID-19 trial from concept to execution in record time,” states Ali. “From Latvia to India, Brazil and the United States, our team members achieved recruitment status and worked tirelessly towards the goal of potentially giving certain COVID-19 patients a better chance of survival…all while coping with all of the personal challenges connected with a pandemic lockdown.”

It is not only a testament to their willingness to always go the extra mile personally, but also to George Clinical’s established operational model, which puts science at the forefront of our clinical research in the service of trial patients and global clients. These trials remain key to finding practical solutions that ultimately lead to the improved health of diverse populations the world over. George Clinical’s cross-disciplinary teams approach every project in a highly structured, interactive way with an entrepreneurial energy that seeks to get to the scientific objective quickly by shortening the timeframe to approvals and determining the most efficient and effective course for achieving breakthrough results. Even amidst a world set aback by COVID-19, the team triumphed by leveraging peer-to-peer interactions, consistent client communication, operational excellence and personal dedication to the cause.