Speech at Official Launch of the Clinical Research WSQ Framework and Master of Science in Clinical Research

Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, Biopolis

1. Good Afternoon. I am pleased to join you today at the launch of the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications framework for Clinical Research (Clinical Research Associates) (CRA) track.
2. This is a significant milestone for the clinical research industry. I say this because the graduates of the new WSQ programmes in Clinical Research will now for the first time in Singapore enjoy full credit exemption into the highly prestigious Master of Science (MSc) in Clinical Research, conferred by the Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) of Scotland.
   
   Singapore as an emerging market to train internationally accredited clinical research professionals
3. ENU has been long renowned for its contribution to the scientific community as well as its position as Edinburgh’s top university for graduate employability. The university has contributed vastly to clinical research in the United Kingdom. If you recall, one of their most well-known scientific research work resulted in the first cloned mammal, Dolly the Sheep.
4. It is important for our local industry to learn from international best practices to build up their own expertise. Partnering renowned institutions such as ENU will contribute towards identifying the industry needs and grooming, through the new initiatives, a group of internationally accredited clinical research professionals to boost our local clinical research industry.
5. The Biomedical Sciences industry in Singapore accounted for four per cent of Singapore’s GDP in 2010. This was the result of contributions by the biomedical sectors namely pharmaceutical manufacturing and biologics. Singapore currently manufactures about $20 billion worth of medicines and medical devices. With a target to achieve $25 billion in manufacturing output by 2015, Singapore aims to be a biomedical sciences hub in Asia. Singapore’s position as a clinical research hub in the region was given a boost with the launch of S$20 million SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit in July 2010.
6. With Asia rising as an affluent power, there is a growing demand for quality healthcare and more effective clinical drugs for the Asian population, hence the need to train sufficient professionals, to administer clinical trials which are key to the research and production of these drugs.
7. Companies are increasing their research activities here in Asia. A recent example is the setting up of Abbott’s Formulation R&D Centre in Singapore in January this year, which will accelerate the development of therapeutics to bring innovative medicines to patients more quickly. With more clinical trial centres being set-up here, we anticipate an increase in the yearly demand for CRAs by at least 10 to 15 per cent for the next five years.
8. As the Secretariat for the APEC Coordinating Centre for Good Clinical Practice (GCP) – Singapore plays a strategic role in developing GCP in Asia as well as steering initiatives such as the training of clinical research personnel and cultivating a conducive environment for multi-site clinical trials in the region.
9. I am pleased to share that the launch of the new initiatives in clinical research today will contribute significantly towards the development of manpower in the clinical sector. This is essential as we currently do not have a structured programme for CRAs in the local Institutes of Higher Learning or Post-Secondary Educational Institutes. At present, our existing CRAs have largely acquired their skills through on-the-job-training.
10. We will now address this gap through the WSQ framework which will enable Singaporeans to become CRAs via the three new programmes that we are launching today with the added benefit of being internationally accredited by ENU.
11. The jobs in the Biomedical Sciences industry are generally well-paying PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians) jobs with the sector currently employing more than 13,000 professionals. Of these, 400 are Clinical Research Associates.
12. With these new initiatives in place, at least 360 Singaporeans are set to benefit over the next three years. This trained pool of CRAs will be able to enhance the operational efficiency of clinical trials resulting in research being conducted and completed within a shorter time span. Currently, most top positions in the industry are held by foreigners given their expertise and experience in the field. With the new WSQ Framework in place, we will be able to see more locals assuming such positions. In fact, the greatest value-add we can expect to witness from the introduction of the new WSQ programmes will be in terms of job enhancement and career progression. CRAs can now progress to become Clinical Research Managers, or even proceed to other related areas of clinical research as Centre Managers, Trials Managers and Site Managers.
    
    Increasing Productivity in Drug Development through Quality Clinical Research and Training
13. Singapore has transformed over the years into a knowledge-based economy. To sustain growth and development, one of the nation’s priority is to develop the biomedical sciences as the fourth pillar of the country’s economy alongside electronics, engineering and chemicals. We know that better and more innovative drugs come with a corresponding increase in cost, especially in drug discovery and development. Therefore, it is essential for the industry to focus on its overall operational efficiency in the way clinical trials are conducted. One of the areas in which we can enhance operational efficiency is to ensure that the trials are conducted in error-free environments and using objective methodologies. These practices allow companies to obtain more usable clinical data from the study, which in turn increase the productivity of the clinical trials.
14. With a pool of well-trained CRAs, the overall duration of the clinical trials will be reduced resulting in cost savings for the companies and in turn, their customers.
15. Today, I am pleased to launch the Clinical Research WSQ Framework for the Clinical Research Associates which comprises the WSQ Diploma in Clinical Research, WSQ Specialist Diploma in Clinical Research and WSQ Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research.
16. I am happy to note that already some 30 Clinical Research Associates are expected to sign up for training in the first batch. It is very encouraging that we are receiving such strong industry support as we are doing this to create and reclaim high value-added jobs for Singaporeans. These professionals will now be certified under the nationally-recognised and industry-endorsed Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ).
17. Additionally, upon completion of all three new programmes, these graduates can proceed to complete a dissertation and attain the MSc in Clinical Research from ENU. It is exciting to note that this is the first time a Masters programme in this field is being offered in Singapore. This is a breakthrough and a testament to the robust training and quality assurance that the Singapore’s WSQ qualifications offer. With the Masters qualification, a CRA can now proceed to become a Clinical Research Manager and can expect to earn about 30 per cent more than a non-WSQ trained counterpart in the same field.
18. The Clinical Research WSQ framework for CRAs was endorsed by the Singapore Clinical Research Consortium (SCRC) which comprises the major healthcare clusters, clinical research organisations, relevant statutory boards, pharmaceuticals companies and reputable training providers.
19. With the new framework in place, WDA, in collaboration with industry players, can develop more programmes according to industry needs. One such example is a Master Class Series which will be organised jointly by WDA and ENU. This will be conducted by renowned ENU speakers in their fields of expertise in key emerging sectors in the Biomedical Sciences industry.
    
    Conclusion
20. In conclusion, I would like to commend and congratulate WDA and ENU for these initiatives which will enhance the professional careers of Singaporeans in this growing industry.
    
    Thank you.