Stuart Abelson is President, Chairman, and CEO of Ora, a contract research organization (CRO). He is also the son of an ophthalmologist, and says watching his dad’s hard work and passion still fuels him today. In this episode, Abelson explains to our host Rob Rothman, MD, the role of a CRO in conducting clinical trials for innovative companies. He said, “A lot of times these companies have the idea, they’ve got the product, they’ve got the know-how, but they tend to outsource the heavy lifting to get that done.” Abelson said a CRO handles the mechanics of getting a clinical study done, including:• Patient recruitment• Site Training• Oversight for compliance issues• Drug logistics• Data management and handling• Data interpretationHe says though that because of years of experience focusing only in the area of ophthalmology, the company does more than a traditional CRO and can help clients from large companies to physician entrepreneurs develop their studies to really help advance products through development. Another important point discussed is financing for a study, and Abelson explains how Ora’s experience and network can help identify sources of capital and potentially shorten timelines.Click play to hear Stuart’s insightful discussion on how Ora helps companies with their clinical studies!