The Medicines Assessment Research Unit (MARU), a collaborative focus for commercial clinical research in Aberdeen and surrounding area, has been awarded the prestigious ISO 9002 Quality Assurance Certification.
Unit Director, Dr David Galloway said: “I am absolutely delighted that the management practice systems put in place by MARU have been awarded this recognition.
“It is particularly satisfying as we are not only the first UK academic clinical pharmacology unit to achieve this standard but MARU is also the only unit in Europe in which an academic presence for clinical pharmacology in a hospital setting has been recognised by this Award. It is a substantial achievement and due largely to the hard work and commitment of the whole team.
“The award represents in important further development in the MARU’s progress. It is a standard increasingly required by many contracting device and pharmaceutical companies.”
MARU was established in 1992 and expanded its activities from 1997 onwards. It is a collaborative initiative involving the University of Aberdeen Medical School and Institute of Medical Sciences, Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust and Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust. It represents around £450Million worth of resource allocation on health care provision covering all commercial research-based activities within a population of 500,000 people.
MARU has in impressive international profile and deals with clinical trial activities on a world-wide basis.
Dr Galloway explained: “MARU has an integrated system for clinical trial activity which provides a one-stop shop from pharmaceutical companies approaching any sector of health care in Grampian.
“It cover all areas of population health and illness, from primary care in General Practice to tertiary care as a specialist centre or referral for the whole region.”