EphMRA Joins Forces with MRS to Deliver Policy and Professional Standards Services

Global healthcare market research association, EphMRA, today announces it has partnered with MRS to enhance its Code of Conduct and develop professional standards services for its members. EphMRA aims to inspire and empower members to influence decision through expert advice and insights to help drive business performance and gain competitive advantage. MRS will advise EphMRA on its current healthcare-specific Code of Conduct and assist in drafting the annual update to reflect new data protection and privacy legislation; this will include further incorporation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  MRS will also advise EphMRA on the expert guidance it offers its members for the interpretation and application of the code. The new partnership extends MRS’s portfolio of work with international trade associations to promote ethics and standards within market research and analytics.  This includes the provision of professional standards to the European Research Federation (EFAMRO), which represents the commercial interests of research agencies at the European level.  In addition, major international research markets including the Netherlands, Singapore and Australia have adopted the MRS Fair Data scheme; a trust mark for organisations which collect, use and retain personal data properly and ethically. As well as partnering with MRS to access the latest policy and ethical standards, EphMRA, has signed up as an associate member of the Global Research Business Network (GRBN) – an important global network which seeks to promote and advance the position of research along with regional federations and national associations. Jane Frost CBE, CEO of MRS, comments: “MRS is widely recognised for its ethics, policy and professional standards expertise.  Interpreting policy, creating and upholding the highest standards is fundamental to researchers’ ability to engage participants and undertake robust and ethical research.  This is never more-true than when working in healthcare which relies on access to some of the most personal and sensitive data.  We are delighted to be working with EphMRA to support them in maintaining the highest standards in policy and ethics, which further strengthens MRS as the centre of global excellence for research and data standards and policy.” Karsten Trautmann, Merck KGaA and EphMRA president says: “This new alliance with the MRS further strengthens the position of EphMRA as the centre of excellence for healthcare market research and business intelligence.  The landscape of compliance is constantly changing, and our members need to keep up to date in order to ensure they are offering the highest level of service to their clients.”  Ends Notes to Editors   About MRS

• The UK is the world’s second largest research market.
• With members in more than 60 countries, MRS is the world’s leading research association.
• It has a diverse membership of individuals at all levels of experience and seniority within agencies, consultancies, support services, client-side organisations, the public sector and the academic community.
• MRS represents 80% of research agencies who commit to, and are regulated by, the MRS Code of Conduct to ensure professional and ethical research of the highest standard of excellence.
• In 2013 MRS launched the Fair Data trust mark that demonstrates which organisations handle their customers’ personal data fairly.
• MRS is the global leader in research qualifications and training.
• Winners of the Launch of the Year prize at the International Content Marketing Awards 2013 for Impact magazine, the quarterly publication of the Market Research Society and sister title to Research-live.com.

 About EphMRA

• Its overall aim is to inspire and empower members to influence decision through expert advice and insights to help drive business performance and gain competitive advantage.
• EphMRA is the hub for excellence to empower members to become the business partner of choice in providing insights and expert advice.
• Creating a healthcare market research and analytics community that defines, develops and shares best practice.
• Continuously developing and strengthening the core competencies that allow members to achieve excellence as business partners and expert advisers. Excellence means that EphMRA sets the gold-standard in healthcare market research and analytics and continues building excellence by focusing on core competencies that relate to the strategic components of market research, data and analytics and business insights.  This includes primary and secondary market research, forecasting, data analysis, competitive monitoring, KPI performance specialists etc.
• Furthermore, EphMRA will provide expert guidance to its members on healthcare market research and analytics standards and ethics.

 For further information, please contact:  Emma Molton / Harriet Crosby Camargue, on behalf of MRS +44 (0)20 7636 7366 emolton@camargue.uk / hcrosby@camargue.uk Bernadette Rogers General manager, EphMRA generalsecretary@ephmra.org