ESTERN Medical, a therapeutically focused International Contract Research Organization (CRO) with a trusted scientific R&D knowledge for delivering reliable results, today announced the appointment of Dr. Charles Schmidt as the “Head Scientific Medical Advisor”, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Schmidt will leverage his extensive clinical research background within the pharmaceutical & medical device and CRO industries to lead ESTERN Medical CRO & consulting unit in Latin America. This business unit is responsible for providing biopharmaceutical & medical device customers with world-class R&D in the areas of clinical drug development, medical devices, commercialization and regulatory submissions.
“Making informed decisions regarding product or portfolios clinical trials R&D development is just one of many challenges that pharmaceutical & medical device executives must address to remain competitive and maximize their return on investment,” said Dr. Jorge Estrella, President & Chief Medical Officer at ESTERN Medical. “We’re excited to have Dr. Schmidt on board to provide his expertise perspective in using new methods to increase clinical trial efficiency to expand the breadth of support to our customers. ESTERN Medical has continued to strengthen our CRO & consulting practices with a number of senior appointments, including Dr. Schmidt. His leadership and broad clinical, pharmaceutical & medical device background will be instrumental as we look to expand our integrated services model to include clinical development optimization and compliance. These additions, combined with our strategy, LATAM QA and regulatory practice areas, provide the complete framework to address our customers’ most pressing business needs in Pharmaceutical development & medical device today.”
Dr. Schmidt has more than 25 years’ experience in the clinical, central lab, pharmaceutical, CRO & medical device industry. Prior to joining ESTERN Medical, he served as Head of Outsourcing at a major US & European biopharmaceutical companies at Abbott Labs, Quintiles, PRA International, Medpace & Eurotrials. Having worked for both, pharma & medical device companies and international CROs, Dr. Schmidt has broad industry expertise and has held senior management positions in a range of functions, including clinical project and operations management, clinical development, strategic business planning and international clinical affairs.
Dr. Schmidt is the founder & former president of the Brazilian Association of CROs (ABRACRO). Member of the board and Director of the Brazilian Association of Pharmaceutical Physicians (SBMF) and member of the steering committee of DIA Latin America on the discovery, development, evaluation and utilization of medicines and related health care technologies.
Dr. Schmidt received his Medical degree from the University Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa School of Medicine in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and did further medical and research training (Master and Doctorate degree) in Pediatrics & Infectious Diseases at the Universidad Federal de Sao Paulo in Brazil (UNIFESP). Addition to his clinical background, he received degree in Post-graduate Management at the Faculdade de Sa�de P�blica da USP Brazil. He is currently a professor & coordinator of the post-graduate program in clinical research at the University – Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas da Santa Casa in Sao Paulo, Brazil.