Radiant Adds Consumer Testing Division

Radiant Research, Inc. has established a new division devoted to consumer trial conduct to expand its consumer products testing capabilities. The company has hired, Charles Folk, a 40-year veteran in the consumer product testing industry, to head up the development of this division. Radiant has also recently added a number of experts to the organization for the evaluation of cumulative irritation and sensitization, malodor and oral care. Radiant is in the process of cross-training and certifying additional personnel to be able to meet the staffing requirements for these types of trials.

“Radiant has a Quality Assurance process that is designed for the rigors of clinical trial conduct. This level of quality has increasingly become a necessity in consumer trials,” said Mr. Folk. “Because Radiant follows the same stringent processes when conducting consumer trials, clients can be assured that their consumer product testing, whether safety or efficacy, will be conducted under the highest standards. Additionally, Radiant has the ideal infrastructure and support services to meet the demands of conducting consumer trials”

According to a company statement, “Radiant has 20 centers throughout the U.S., enabling testing under any climatic conditions required. Radiant’s recruitment infrastructure, consisting of a central Call Center and Media group, can address the very tight recruitment timelines of consumer trials. Radiant will be able to utilize its subject database of over 1 million subjects to meet these timelines. Radiant will leverage the expertise of its product development consulting division, Radiant Development, in the areas of protocol development, data management and report writing.”

Asked why Radiant is focusing in this area, chief executive officer Julie McHugh commented, “In addition to consumer and nutritional companies looking to enhance and expand their product portfolios through well-established safety and efficacy claims, Radiant is working with Big Pharma companies who are increasingly looking at consumer products to replace diminishing portfolios due to impending patent cliffs. The Pfizer/Wyeth and Merck/Schering-Plough mega mergers, as well as the purchase of Chattem by Sanofi, and the joint venture between Procter & Gamble and Teva, all provide opportunities for these companies to claim a larger stake in the consumer products market. Rigorous scientific testing is essential in generating advertising claims. These claims can greatly enhance the market potential associated with consumer products.”