Partnership aims to strengthen clinical research standards across MENA
pharmafile | July 7, 2026 | News story | | IAOCR, MARC
The International Accrediting Organization for Clinical Research (IAOCR) has partnered with MARC to support the adoption of international clinical research standards across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Under the agreement, MARC will become an authorised regional delivery hub for IAOCR, providing local support to clinical research organisations seeking certification against the Global Quality Standard for Clinical Research Sites (GCSA) and other accreditation programmes.
The collaboration is intended to strengthen clinical trial quality, improve consistency and build research capacity across the region by combining internationally recognised standards with regional expertise.
High-quality clinical research is essential for ensuring patient safety and generating reliable evidence for new medicines and healthcare interventions.
George Maher, Chief Executive Officer of MARC, said: “Our partnership with IAOCR represents an important milestone in our mission to support and empower research professionals through embedding high quality clinical research processes at an organisational level.”
The organisations said local support could help research sites navigate accreditation while maintaining compliance with international standards overseen by IAOCR.
Jacqueline Johnson North, Chief Executive Officer of IAOCR, said the partnership would expand access to internationally recognised quality standards while strengthening clinical research capacity across the region.
She added:“By combining IAOCR’s globally recognised quality frameworks with MARC’s regional expertise, we can better support clinical research sites and professionals in achieving excellence, building trust, andcontributing to a stronger, more sustainable clinical research ecosystem.”
Both organisations said they aim to position the MENA region as an increasingly important centre for high-quality clinical research by supporting research sites, investigators and healthcare organisations seeking internationally recognised accreditation.
