A Contract Research Organization (CRO) is an independent company retained by a pharmaceutical company to handle some or all aspects of a clinical trial. A CRO may be given the duty of identifying study investigators and sites, negotiating the study grant, and all monitoring responsibilities.
The role of a CRO may be carried out by an academic institution which is sometimes referred to as an ARO, Academic Research Organization. The CRO may be a very large company or may be comprised of one or two people.
The site research team must work with the representatives from the CRO with the same respect and dedication as they would with any sponsoring company.