The Impact of Technology on Today’s Clinical Trials
Clinical trials pave the way toward novel drug approvals, as well as many other medical advancements, and provide healthcare providers with new or different potential treatment options for their patients.
Clinical trials may not always meet their study objectives; however, they continue to provide hope for medical solutions such as medications, devices, and delivery systems that may help alleviate the burden of disease and the anguish of suffering among so many of our family and community members worldwide.
Clinical research sponsors and study site team members continue to be faced with challenges such as slow recruitment, a lack of diversity within participant populations, compliance with regulatory requirements, collecting and managing data, and the retention of study participants.
How can technology help?
It takes an average of 17 years for research evidence to reach mainstream clinical practice, and the median period for a new drug to go through the clinical trial process before gaining market approval is 9 years. On the other hand, today’s technology is adopted very quickly—and the pace is steadily increasing. As advancements continue, it may be possible for the right technology to transform the clinical trial industry seemingly overnight.
The intersection between clinical trials and current technologies
The growing need for technological advancements in clinical research has been driven by three trends:
The rising costs of conducting trials
An increasing rate of study failures
A greater demand for patient-centric trials
Technological innovations can help ease the challenges faced by clinical researchers by improving recruitment rates, data collection and management, the overall participant experience, and retention rates. For example, social media can raise awareness of a trial, foster engagement, and aid in the recruitment of participants, which is one of the most challenging issues for researchers.
With current technologies, subjects can be monitored remotely, enabling a trial to be conducted more efficiently, lowering the cost of the trial, and making participation easier. In addition, wearable devices can assess compliance, collect and store vast amounts of participant data, and provide nontraditional data sets.
Telemedicine and mobile devices are linked to decentralized clinical trials and may allow some of the study visits to be conducted remotely, making participation in trials more convenient, especially for populations who have limited access to transportation or are otherwise remote or hard to reach. Such patient-centric shifts in trial designs encourage participation and make study logistics more manageable.
What is in store for the future?
The clinical trial landscape will continue to change as technologies advance and become adopted throughout the clinical trial process. Smartphones, tablets, and apps may be used increasingly to manage enrollment, administer treatment, and conduct follow-up visits for study sites, thereby enabling entire trials to be conducted virtually. Big data analytics and artificial intelligence will transform research exponentially, driving down costs and bringing discovery to life at an unprecedented pace.
HOW CAN ARTCRAFT HELP?
Artcraft Health has the expertise to put the latest technologies in place to support your clinical trials. Our experienced team will guide you through every part of the process, from kickoff to completion, and can incorporate digital strategies such as websites, apps, videos, animations,
References
Burke Ó. The future of clinical trials. Accenture website. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/pdf-107/accenture-the-dock-clinical-trials-lifesciences-aug19.pdf
Hebenstreit C. How technology is helping increase diversity in clinical trials. Forbes website. Published June 18, 2020. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/06/18/how-technology-is-helping-increase-diversity-in-clinical-trials/?sh=2cc2ad0bf893
McGrath RG. The pace of technology adoption is speeding up. Harvard Business Review website. Published November 25, 2013. Updated September 25, 2019. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://hbr.org/2013/11/the-pace-of-technology-adoption-is-speeding-up#:~:text=This%20second%20graph%2C%20by%20Michael%20DeGusta%20of%20MIT’s,for%20tablet%20devices%20to%20achieve%20the%2010%25%20rate
Morris, ZS, Wooding S, Grant J. The answer is 17 years, what is the question: understanding time lags in translational research. J R Soc Med. 2011;104(12):510-520. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22179294/
Written by Linda Lipp, Medical Writer
Linda Lipp is a Senior Medical Writer at Artcraft Health. She has helped craft content for a variety of clients in the pharmaceutical, clinical trial, medical device, and patient education industries. Linda is passionate about science, education, wellness, nutrition, and the great outdoors. She has been a valued contributor at Artcraft Health since 2013.
Additional reading
Burrows A. The single technology that will have the biggest impact on clinical trials—industry voices. InformaConnect website. Published September 13, 2019. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://informaconnect.com/single-technology-impact-clinical-trials/
Mortimer S. Technology is revolutionizing clinical trials: Here’s how. BioSpace website. Published October 4, 2018. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.biospace.com/article/technology-is-revolutionizing-clinical-trials-here-s-how/
National Library of Medicine. Transforming clinical trials with technology. Published August 19, 2016. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK396107/