It’s 4:45 PM on a Friday and a CRA gets a call. One of their Research Sites is scrambling. They have a patient coming in on Monday, and just discovered that all of the kits they need for a critical baseline visit are expired.

"Doveryai, no proveryai." This old Russian proverb presents an open challenge to the clinical research industry. It translates to "trust, but verify."

Inventory surrounds us. It’s in your house, at your gas station, in your grocer’s freezer, and on the shelves of your Research Site’s supply closets and pharmacy. Inventory is something that demands attention and careful management.