This document defines a contract research organization (CRO) and outlines their goals and services. CROs provide outsourced clinical research services to the pharmaceutical industry. Their services include clinical trials, preclinical research, pharmacovigilance, and biological assay development. Companies outsource to CROs due to lack of in-house capacity, skills, or to control costs. When selecting a CRO, companies should assess their clinical, bioanalytical, and pharmacokinetic capabilities. They should also qualify CRO sites to ensure compliance with Good Clinical Practices and laboratory standards.