HACRO – the Hellenic Association of Contract Research Organizations – participated in the 6th International Conference on Rare Diseases, organised by the Greek Rare Diseases Alliance (Rare Diseases Greece).
HACRO President Evangelia (Lia) Koraki took part in the panel discussion “JARDIN – Strengthening Greece’s Role in ERNs and Clinical Trials (2026–2030)”, where she highlighted the strategic importance of the European Reference Networks (ERNs) in advancing clinical research for rare diseases.
Ms Koraki explained that ERNs address some of the fundamental challenges of rare disease research, including small and geographically dispersed patient populations, the concentration of clinical expertise in a limited number of centres, and the need for better-organised clinical data. By connecting specialised centres across Europe, ERNs create an integrated framework that facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing and high-quality clinical research.
She emphasised that, for countries such as Greece, strengthening participation in the ERNs and making full use of the opportunities offered by the JARDIN initiative can significantly enhance the country’s competitiveness, increase its visibility within the European research landscape and reinforce confidence in its clinical research capabilities.
Ms Koraki concluded by noting that effective participation in the ERNs can support the development of stronger research infrastructure through well-organised centres of expertise, patient registries, closer collaboration between hospitals and a more predictable environment for clinical research. By building an integrated ecosystem that combines patients, data, scientific expertise and coordinated networks, Greece can position itself as a trusted and competitive partner in international clinical research.
HACRO extends its sincere thanks to Rare Diseases Greece for the invitation and the excellent organisation of the conference.