Types of organization that don’t always get much of a mention when it comes to the world of clinical trials are those that invest in biotech and pharma.

Without their funding the industry would almost certainly have fewer companies operating in clinical research – with a commensurate decrease in the number of trials and potential treatments that are being developed.

Investors in this space are obviously looking to make profits. But at the same time they’re providing the necessary cash injection that helps in the cycle of treatment development – with the obvious beneficial effects that can deliver for society as a whole.

My own involvement with investors is generally in an advisory capacity. Fundamentally, the biggest single issue for clinical research is patient recruitment – so investors want to know that the organization they are looking to invest in has an effective process in place for achieving that. Or, if they don’t currently, that one can be developed for them.