In the United States, Northwestern University's Kellogg and Duke University's Duke Corporate Education are also among the leaders in "open" and "custom" programs devised for the specific needs of companies.

CNN: Costs vary with length, location

Between 1995 and 2005, the number of countries where such trials were being carried out more than doubled, while the number in the United States and Western Europe decreased, the researchers at Duke University said.

CNN: Growth of clinical trial outsourcing raises issues