The attractive position of France in international clinical research:: 2006 survey assessed by Leem (French pharmaceutical companies).

In order to evaluate the attractiveness of France for conducting international clinical trials, a survey is performed every two years among pharmaceutical companies that are based in France or have affiliates in France. Initiated in 2006, the current survey was much more representative than the previous ones with 20 companies accounting for 61% of the French market. This survey included 352 international phase II and III clinical studies carried out in 2004 and 2005, 74 countries, 17 345 centres and 137 989 patients. France has participated to half of the overall number of international clinical trials. France ranked among the best European recruiters (0,19 patient/1000 inhabitants) at the second position behind Scandinavian countries, taking in account numbers of inhabitants. Protocols are now to be given the go-ahead by Ethics Committee (CCPPRB) within 60 days. With a high productivity in phase IIb and in oncology, France is still an attractive place to locate clinical research.