In 2013 Semmelweis University has gained the “Prime Site” award from QuintilesIMS, a multinational company serving the combined industries of health information technologies and clinical research, according to which our institution has become one of its research centres of excellence. Semmelweis University has recently extended the agreement with the American company for another four years, therefore our institution can participate in the clinical trials of even more pharmaceutical products.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Ágoston Szél, Rector, Dr. Károly Szász, Chancellor, Dr. Irén Baumgartnerné Holló, Director of Finance as well as Dr. László Veres, the Hungarian representative of QuintilesIMS. On behalf of Semmelweis University, Dr. Sándor Valent, Head of the Directorate General of Healthcare, Financing and Quality Assurance was also present at the event, and Petra Hanák, the main coordinator of the Hungarian Prime Site programme of QuintilesIMS also represented the American company.
As a result of the cooperation, Semmelweis University has participated in 121 clinical trials as the research partner of QuintilesIMS during the past four years. Most of the clinical trials were started at the 1st Department of Internal Medicine, at the Heart and Vascular Centre and at the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine. During the past years three main diseases were in the focus of researchers: lung cancer, diabetes and colitis ulcerosa. More than 70 employees of the university have been involved in these clinical trials. In 2016, one-fifth of the drug tests conducted at Semmelweis University were realized in the framework of the cooperation with QuintilesIMS.
The “Prime Site” status provides an opportunity for the university to carry out even more clinical trials within high quality circumstances and the results are useful beyond the clinical trial, too. As a result of the cooperation, patients can have access to such modern treatments, which are not yet financed by the social security system or not yet authorized in Hungary.
QuintilesIMS has altogether 25 research centres of excellence worldwide. Debrecen University has also recently become part of the Hungarian “Prime Site”.
Pálma Dobozi, Tímea Kele
Photo: Attila Kovács, Semmelweis University
Translation: Katalin Illés-Romhányi
