[A manual of good professional practices for the Clinical Investigation Centres]

Clinical Investigation Centres (CICs) are academic organisations for performing clinical studies. They are a part of a national network which is co-ordinated by French national institute for health and medical research (Inserm), and the head office of healthcare provision (DGOS). There are working groups and specialised networks within the overall CIC network. The Harmonisation of CIC Procedures (HPCIC) group wrote a manual of good professional practices for clinical research. This manual is described here. This manual was written by consensus. It was approved by the coordinators of all CICs, external experts, and validated by representatives of both Inserm and the General directorate of healthcare provision (DGOS). The CIC Good Professional Practices manual is a guide divided into two sections. The first section covers the general management of a CIC (common to all CICs). The second section covers the core activities of CICs, running clinical studies (clinical study coordination, clinical investigation, data management, statistical analysis, valorisation). This manual is available for all CICs and any other clinical research organisations. It will serve as a basis for CIC self-quality evaluation, audits between CICs, and external audits. This manual shows how much the CICs want to standardise practices and procedures nationwide to offer their partners the best quality in performing clinical studies.