The Role of Technology in Advancing Clinical Trials

The advantage of technology in clinical trials include faster recruitment and better retention, improved patient experience, providing access to non-traditional data sets, and remote patient monitoring. Technology is also used to provide a better patient-centric approach.

FREMONT, CA: Drug development and healthcare are among the sectors disrupted by new technologies. Clinical trial design and efficiency can be greatly improved by technological innovations in a variety of fields.

Clinical Trials and Technology: Addressing the Challenges

In recent years, technology supply has increased, and regulations governing breakthrough innovations have loosened. Growing demand for technological innovation in clinical trials is also driven by concerns about rising costs, higher failure rates, and the rise of patient-centered trials. In clinical trials, breakthrough technologies include wearable technology, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, synthetic biology, telemedicine, and mobile communication.

Technology has eased many of the key challenges of clinical trials. Improved patient experience, better patient data capture, access to non-traditional data sets, and remote patient monitoring are some of these. Additionally, trials can be decentralized, and a more patient-centric approach can be adopted. In addition, breakthrough technologies can easily address the challenges trials face in the new normal brought about by covid-19.

Recruitment of patients: In clinical trials, patient recruitment is still a critical issue. Mobile communications can help. As long as there is a stable connection, clinical trials can reach under-served communities in remote areas despite distance issues.  

Furthermore, social media can be leveraged by project developers to improve outreach and recruitment of trial participants from diverse groups, including historically underserved populations. Electronic informed consent, electronic clinical outcome assessment, and electronic data capture are other technologies that can assist recruitment.

Capturing patient data: There is a great deal of potential for improving patient data capture with mobile devices, smartphone-based apps, and wearable medical technology. Research directions and final clinical outcomes are influenced by patient data in clinical trials. Wearable devices automate data monitoring, and central data hubs collect a wealth of data that would otherwise be difficult to collect. Data can be tracked statistically, and pertinent information can be accessed virtually from multiple locations.

Enhancing patient engagement and improving clinical data increases trial efficiency. In addition to the Internet of Things(IoT), virtual reality, machine learning, and smart sensors, other technologies help enhance clinical trials by capturing data.

Monitoring via remote access: With the covid-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing to limit disease spread, remote monitoring has become a particular focus of trials. Researchers are increasingly using remote site access and monitoring tools. Remote connections can be established between sponsors, research sites, and clinical research organizations.

Trials can be more efficient and less demanding for participants, and a more thorough and meaningful understanding of patient reactions and conditions can be achieved with remote monitoring.