CRN WM Shared Investigator Platform (SIP) Working Group

Contents

SIP is a feasibility tool created by commercial company Cognizant and now used by several of the largest poharmaceutical companies. These include Pfizer, Amgen, Roche and MSD. It's a cloud based system which allows a central point of access, sign on and access to multiple companies.  Companies are starting to utilise this platform as a first line for feasibility. We know that Pfizer is working towards exclusively using SIP for study set up by 1 July 2021. The SIP will not replace the NIHR Feasibility Services for Site Identification and Intelligence for commercial studies, but will support both processes by enabling quicker selection of sites, streamlined feasibility, transfer of CVs/certificates and much more.

Whilst this is a commercial enterprise and is not endorsed or promoted by us, the NIHR has acknowledged we have a responsibility to support this, especially as we are acutely aware of the large number of commercial sponsors now using the system.

At the start of 2021 we had two Trusts set up on SIP and only one had used it for study set up. To further improve the support we are able to provide and to share good practice/lessons learnt amongst us we decided to set up a SIP working group.

The First SIP working group meeting was held on 12 May with representatives from 14 of our Partner Organisations. Meetings are now held monthly and at our most recent meeting we had representatives from Roche talk us through how they will be using the system. 

Since then we have had four Trusts request support with SIP and have been able to set up individual onboarding meetings with Cognizant to progress this. 

If there are any further Partner Organisations who would like to join the SIP working group who aren’t already represented please contact ellen.edwards@nihr.ac.uk