WCG has acquired Partners for Medical Education, a San Francisco-based firm focused on patient education and outreach.

PME produces live events and webcasts, clinical trial education and recruitment campaigns, market research and other services in the patient space.

Diane Weiser, healthcare practice head at WCG, said patients are becoming more empowered to manage diagnoses and treatment so the firm saw it as important to reach them "through the right channels with relevant information and support.

Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Sharron Ames heads the firm, assisted by Allison Solomon in San Francisco and Jamie Machala in Austin.