On Saturday 4th March, 2017, First Global and Clinical Trial Advanced and Planning Symposium was held under the theme of “To the Globalization of Clinical Research” at Tokyo.

This symposium was organized by Osaka University Hospital and National Cancer Center Hospital, and sponsored by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and is part of Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Global Clinical Trial Development Project. Aiming to give an opportunity to share information among two different countries, two speakers from Europe and Korea were also invited.

Because this was the very first big event since our global clinical research office was launched, we put so much effort into selecting a venue, agendas and most importantly adjusting the proper topics with lecturers.

We repeated the final preparation and adjustments up until just before we left Osaka; however still not having a good sleep prior to the symposium and then we ended up having a nervous morning in fact.

Right after members’ last minutes meeting, we welcomed the two speakers from Europe and Korea, and more lectures arrived one after the another, then soon the meeting with interpreters started while we were still nervous. Today recalling the moment, we weren’t quite remember what conversation was going on among us.

Beginning with the greeting of Shinzaburo NOGUCHI, Director of Osaka University Hospital, there are two talks from Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare, and AMED. Following the part one, Dr. Kenichi NAKAMURA from the National Cancer Center Hospital and then from the Department of Medical Innovation, Osaka University Hospital Dr. Daisaku NAKATANI gave a lecture.

In the special lecture, we invited the General Director Jacques DEMOTES from the European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN), and Dr. Min Soon PARK from Yonsei University College of Medicine, addressed lectures on "Investigator-Initiated Global Clinical Research in Foreign Countries".

Following the special lecture, Dr. Tsutomu NISHIMURA from Translational Research Informatics Center, Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation (TRI) presented a lecture in response to it, we discussed grants that are not across borders and differences in regulations among countries in the panel discussion.

More than 100 audiences who were from many related institutions participated in the symposium, we believe that this turned out to be a meaningful opportunity for everyone in the symposium to exchange their information and open discussion.
The symposium closed successfully with the positive feedback and interests from a number of participants.

We use this experience when the 2nd Global clinical symposium is also held, and we would like to put every possible effort for the next preparations to be able to welcome more people and capture audience's interests.