MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle Health Sciences Institute (DLSHSI) has signed a memorandum of agreement with research firm Quintiles Philippines Inc. to further improve the conduct of health research and clinical trials in the Cavite-based medical school.
“We embark on an exciting collaborative endeavor which will further enhance the conduct of clinical trials in this institution. DLSHSI and Quintiles intend to work together to build up access to clinical trials for patients and the general populace of our communities and for doctors of this Lasallian community,” said DLSHSI vice chancellor for research Dr. Melchor Victor Frias IV.
Quintiles senior director and general manager Ma. Inez Pacia, for her part, said: “We know La Salle to be a very involved institution in the conduct of clinical trials. Here, the culture is already there, all we have to do is tap that energy and provide your research community more opportunities and platforms to perform more clinical trials.”
Frias said the alliance will increase opportunities for both patients and individuals in their communities and doctors to participate in clinical trials. As a leading research site for clinical trials in the country, DLSHSI will thus have more opportunities to perform clinical trials that will ultimately result in improved medical care for Filipinos.
“Clinical trials offer the promise of better treatments. With Quintiles’ track record of bringing people and knowledge together and DLSHSI’s expertise in the conduct of clinical trials, we are looking forward to working together in discovering better health care practices that will make quality medical care more accessible and available to our people,” Pacia added.
DLSHSI is the lead convenor of health research for the Health Research Consortium of Region IV-A and the site of the most number of clinical trials among private institutions in the country, In photo during the signing of the alliance agreement are (from left): Rowena Miranda, Quintiles Philippines associate director; Maria Inez Pacia, Quintiles senior director; Br. Gus Boquer FSC, DLSHSI president and Dr. Mel Frias, vice chancellor for research