Graduate Certificate in Regulatory Science
There is a large and growing need for a well-trained regulatory science workforce to advance the translation of research into clinical interventions. That’s why C-Path is participating in the development of this interprofessional graduate certificate program conceived in collaboration with industry leaders in regulatory science, along with University of Arizona academics across the Colleges of Law, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Medicine. The curriculum is designed to equip students and working professionals across multiple disciplines with basic competencies in regulatory science.
The certificate competencies cover policies, ethics, and processes, including pre-clinical studies to post-marketing responsibilities. This specialized training will uniquely prepare graduates to facilitate and lead innovation across medical product development. Graduates of the program will be able to advance their careers with this training, or transition into the regulatory science field or related discipline.
“When the FDA launched the Critical Path Initiative and provided support to the Critical Path Institute in 2005, everyone recognized the need for a forum for regulatory science but few of us could have anticipated the many successes that have resulted. The new Certificate Program at the James E. Rogers College of Law is validation that regulatory science has emerged to become an integral sub-discipline in biomedical education and an exciting new career opportunity.”
— Raymond L. Woosley, MD, PhD
C-Path Founder
About the Course
- Learn how the FDA is structured and how it regulates drugs, biologics, devices and diagnostics
- Understand intellectual property and the role of patents in commercialization
- Explore incentives for medical product development and innovation
- Navigate the path from clinical trials to bringing a drug to market
Course Titles Include:
Law 575A: Clinical Research Ethics
This course explains the ethical principles underlying regulations and guidance governing clinical trials, especially as the principles pertain to informed consent, risk-benefit disclosure, and conflicts of interest. The course also outlines the elements and design of clinical trials, including federal regulations for research with human subject participants, with vulnerable populations, and international research ethics. The course concludes with research ethics in big data.
Law 577A: Development and Innovation: Biologics, Devices, and Diagnostics
What are the fundamental incentives for development in the biomedical space? The topics covered in this course include introducing key concepts in oversight by the Food and Drug Administration, biologics and biosimilars, regulation of diagnostics, along with the medical device development and approval process. Proving safety and efficacy in clinical development and promoting innovation through the adoption of new technologies and novel adaptive trial designs will also be discussed. The course concludes with a survey of Intellectual Property rights regime for medical products and the regulatory challenges in international markets.
Law 576A: Drug Discovery, Development, and in the Market
This course navigates the drug development path stretching across the pre-clinical and post-marketing divide to cover the full range of drug regulation, including drug discovery, innovative drug development tools, and the post-approval phase. Intellectual Property protection and evaluation will be covered, along with FDA-enforced market exclusivity and FDA-expedited review programs. The course concludes with international regulatory perspectives, including the European Medicines Agency, the costs involved to bring drugs through the clinical trials to market in the US and abroad, and how this affects future investment and strategy.
Law 598A: Regulatory Science Case Study Project
There are numerous needs in regulatory science that companies are faced with every day. This course provides an opportunity for students to integrate and apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges in regulatory science. Industry leaders will present case-based projects where students will work in teams to discuss and problem-solve multi-faceted issues on a current or emerging topic in regulatory science. Students will consult scientific priority areas and consider strategies for developing new tools and approaches for improvement of safety, efficacy, quality and performance of FDA-regulated products.