Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS): Sourcing and management solutions
Our Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) team provides end-to-end clinical trial ancillary supply management for biotech and pharma companies of all sizes conducting research studies in the US and around the world.
Effectively sourcing and managing clinical trial ancillary supplies requires a trusted partner with decades of deep industry expertise, a reliable global logistics network, and flexible services tailored to the needs of each trial.
Managing clinical ancillary supplies across global trials requires deep expertise, reliable sourcing and logistics, and proactive risk management. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) combines clinical supply expertise with unparalleled access to a broad range of laboratory and clinical products and services. Our experienced team and extensive global network support trials of all sizes and complexities, helping keep supplies moving when and where they are needed.
From product selection and sourcing to regulatory and compliance support, GCAS provides coordinated oversight throughout the trial lifecycle. Our team helps manage schedules, resupply needs, and supplier relationships, giving you greater visibility and confidence across your ancillary supply program.
Thermo Fisher Scientific also leverages established supplier relationships and purchasing power to source and supply ancillary products efficiently. We continuously work to improve our processes and explore even more effective supply strategies. We can bundle services and consolidate shipments to simplify logistics, while proactively identifying and mitigating potential risks. With GCAS managing your ancillary supply needs, your team can stay focused on the trial and its core objectives.
Clinical ancillary services at a glance:
See our global clinical ancillary services in action
See how our Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) team helps keep clinical trial programs on schedule while expertly managing timelines, costs, and supporting a positive patient experience.
Tailored ancillary services for trials of every size
Discover a more flexible way to secure clinical ancillary supplies and manage supply oversight. We are here to help ensure on-time delivery for every trial, regardless of its size, through flexible, tiered service options:
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Standard level |
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Premium level |
All base and standard services plus:
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Clinical trial ancillary supply capabilities
Global procurement and distribution:
GCAS supports the global sourcing and distribution of clinical trial supplies, equipment, and medical devices, with services spanning product selection, quality and distribution management, regulatory consultation, import-export management, supplier qualification, and global trade compliance.
- We provide flexible sourcing options for supplies, equipment, and medical devices
- Our team helps ensure the selection of best-fit products and adherence to project timelines
- Supply oversight services include quality management, distribution management, regulatory compliance, and risk management
- Risk-mitigating supply strategies help ensure reliable delivery
- Overall services include regulatory consultation, import/export management, supplier qualification, and global trade compliance
Project management and trial oversight:
Our project management team provides end-to-end oversight of a clinical trial’s supply needs and coordinates additional services throughout the trial, including depot and site setup, ordering and resupply schedules, inventory and expiration tracking, budget management, and study closeout support.
- System setup in depots and site activation services
- Supply and resupply needs, as well as ordering schedules
- Regular meetings, project communications, and reviews
- Supply inventory, product receipt, and expiration tracking
- Invoice and budget management
- Closeout services for sites and depots
Supplemental clinical ancillary services:
GCAS offers supplemental clinical trial services, including custom-order supply packs, kitting solutions, and design consultation. This includes a suite of supply closeout services, including returns, recycling, redistribution, transfers, and other solutions for unused supplies to help reduce waste and recover value.
Equipment and supply recycling and destruction options
- Custom-order supply packs and kitting services
- Supply strategy and design consultation
- Global distribution and storage services
- Supply closeout services, including returns, redistribution, transfers, and other solutions for unused supplies
- Equipment and supply recycling and destruction options
- Equipment rental services and program oversight
Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) sustainable services and products
Clinical trials can generate waste, particularly when ancillary supplies are unused, expire, or are no longer needed at study closeout. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s smart, sustainable destruction and circular solutions are designed to align with your budget and help meet your company’s sustainability goals.
- Destruction services:
Sustainable, secure, and smart equipment management - Landfill last: recycling and/or destructions
We provide a sustainable alternative to traditional waste management. We utilize advanced sorting methods to recover resources, apply carbon-neutral processing to residuals, and manage end-to-end logistics for material diversion. This comprehensive approach helps ensure materials are managed in accordance with high environmental standards. - Decontamination and decommissioning of instruments
Services are available for individual instruments through full-site projects. - Circular solutions: Extending the life of your equipment
Thermo Fisher offers a range of services designed to extend the value of your investments and advance your sustainability goals. We support your sustainability journey through comprehensive asset management, including equipment pickup, transfer, and redeployment, along with secure storage and removal of excess assets. Through our mail-back services and pooled supply programs, your organization can reduce waste and help maximize the useful life of equipment. - Our commitment to sustainability in action
We put our environmental goals into action by incorporating sustainability throughout our supply chain operations. We focus on procuring energy-efficient equipment from responsible suppliers that use recyclable packaging to help minimize our footprint. We also work to expand recycling access and offer smart waste reduction solutions that support more sustainable operations.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) helps ensure that clinical trials have an effective strategy for managing the ancillary supplies required during study start-up and throughout the trial lifecycle. GCAS provides fully integrated, end-to-end ancillary supply management with flexible service levels, including product consultation, regulatory services, supplier qualification, sourcing and procurement, and value-added services such as kitting, distribution, and returns.
Clinical trial ancillary supplies include patient sample collection materials; dosing and administration devices; patient monitoring and diagnostic equipment; personal protective equipment (PPE); laboratory consumables and equipment; cold chain and environmental monitoring solutions; waste management supplies; and diagnostic and medical devices. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) business provides global sourcing and integrated services designed to support patient safety, regulatory compliance, on-time delivery, and strong supplier partnerships.
Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) business provides global depot services for clinical trial supplies and equipment, including storage, distribution, recycling, and destruction. GCAS sources, kits, labels, and distributes a wide range of ancillary supplies, from sample collection and dosing supplies to diagnostics, personal protective equipment (PPE), laboratory equipment, cold chain devices, and waste management materials. These services support studies of any size and complexity and help facilitate on-time delivery.
Thermo Fisher Scientific helps support reliable, on-time delivery of clinical trial ancillary supplies through proactive inventory management and global logistics expertise. Our Global Project Management (GPM) system tracks inventory, batch information, expiration dates, and resupply needs in real time. Dedicated project managers provide ongoing oversight to help mitigate risks, support compliance, and keep studies on schedule across regions and levels of complexity.
Yes. Thermo Fisher Scientific supports global clinical trials through an extensive network of GMP-compliant supply and distribution facilities, including primary hubs in the United States and the United Kingdom and more than 40 regional depots worldwide. Our Global Clinical Ancillary Services (GCAS) team provides coordinated oversight, local sourcing, and regulatory expertise to help support compliant, on-time delivery of ancillary supplies across more than 70 countries, including regions with complex logistical and regulatory requirements.
Our featured clinical ancillary management sites
Global network of cGMP sites to support both local and global studies
Allentown, Pennsylvania, US
Our Allentown, Pennsylvania, site is our largest facility for ambient and cold packaging, storage, and distribution, supporting clinical trials in the US and globally. The site’s capabilities include clinical ancillary management and commercial packaging with sterilization, including primary packaging of oral solid-dose products in blister-pack and bottle formats, as well as secondary packaging services for the assembly and labeling of syringes, pens, and autoinjectors.
Swedesboro, NJ, US
Our Swedesboro, New Jersey, site provides end-to-end clinical ancillary management, including global procurement, storage, and distribution of essential products and supplies for clinical trials of all sizes and phases. Its comprehensive capabilities help ensure that trial sites worldwide receive the required materials in compliance with applicable regulatory standards. The site also offers a range of supply management and closeout services, including returns, redistribution, destruction, and recycling.
Horsham, United Kingdom
Our Horsham, United Kingdom, site provides automated global distribution and integrated biologics product capabilities. Its comprehensive service offerings support all aspects of clinical trial supply, including clinical ancillary management, primary and secondary packaging, labeling, regulatory support, distribution, returns, and destruction. The site also supports light-sensitive compounds, compounds with zero tolerance for time out of environment (TOE), and supplies requiring temperatures as low as −190 °C.
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