In a throwback to the Barcelona Congress in October 2023 we are sharing a conversation with RAY CRO’s Ahmed Hamouda, who joined us to share his vision for growth and the importance of his team’s work. RAY CRO joined us as exhibitors on the packed exhibition floor; did you meet them there? It was a pleasure to meet Ahmed and we hope that you enjoy the interview!
Introducing Ahmed and RAY CRO
Ahmed kindly introduces himself as clinical research director at RAY, a “full-service” CRO that covers the Middle East and Africa. Based in Egypt, Ahmed also travels overseas to the US and other sites across the region, which are expanding!
Services
So, what exactly does “full service” mean? Ahmed outlines the range of services that he and his team offer. He is personally responsible for clinical operations, but they also offer regulatory, pharmacovigilance, and safety services among others. On top of these, they have recently launched the offsite research nursing service, which facilitates easier and more convenient participation in trials for patients.
“We’re proud of this service, which has been really successful so far!”
Overcoming access obstacles
During the COVID-19 pandemic we became acutely aware that the distribution and deployment of vaccines is unequal. A focus at the Congress was how we can encourage greater manufacturing on the African continent in particular, to foster resilience and independence. Therefore, we asked Ahmed about his team’s contribution to empowering the region. Ahmed reflects on his COVID-19 experience, supporting clinical trials that brought the vaccine to the continent.
“Let’s face it – we had an access challenge.”
Alongside this trial, RAY CRO assisted regulatory efforts, registering the vaccine for emergency use; Ahmed is “proud” of this contribution to maintaining the vaccine portfolio for the region.
Awareness and engagement
Acknowledging the inequality highlighted in the pandemic, focus is shifting to what can be done to prevent future barriers to access. For Ahmed, a key element of this is public engagement.
“We’re trying to increase awareness, and to highlight the importance of focusing on clinical trials, research, which is an unending process for African nations, by increasing investments, enhancing clinical trial and research.”
This applies to “all” vaccines, not just COVID-19. However, a “rare benefit” of the pandemic was the “increased awareness” of the vaccines to the public and to regulatory authorities.
“Infrastructure has been significantly introduced.”
Thus, the event offers an opportunity to connect with other stakeholders. For example, Ahmed met with Africa CDC in Barcelona to discuss complementary activities.
“One event after another, will be definitely helping us towards the right direction.”
Why WVC?
Ahmed has already touched on some of his hopes for the event, but no one escapes our final question about their reasons for joining us.
“What I’m hoping to gain is to maintain contacts. I’ve met really nice people, very professional organisations, with visions.”
Furthermore, the opportunity to learn about new innovations and organisations was welcome! We hope that the event was productive for RAY CRO.
It was fantastic to meet Ahmed to learn more about his work, and we hope that if you weren’t able to meet him in Barcelona you contact his team here. For more interviews and insights, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletters here! To get your tickets to this year’s event in Barcelona click here.
This was super informative and engaging. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!