Technology Changing Clinical Trials – This is How
Did you know that technological advancements are already affecting clinical trials, making the introduction of potentially life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical equipment to the market a more efficient and trustworthy process? Every year brings a new technological discovery, and it’s thrilling to imagine how our lives will change and how this technology will affect medical innovations. Innovations in numerous technological sectors can provide significant improvements to the clinical trial consulting process, trial design, and efficiency in a variety of ways, and this article will go over how technology is advancing the development of new medications and interventions.
Wearable medical technology
The landscape of clinical trials is shifting rapidly due to this cost-effective and efficient approach to collecting data from millions of distant patients during virtual clinical trials. The potential of telemedicine and wearable medical technology in clinical trials is enormous. Innovation and growth have led to a rise in the use of wearable tech in the clinical sector, and this technology has been essential to the continuation of important clinical studies. Because of the growing importance of real-world data and evidence in clinical trials, wearables, and related technologies have proven essential for collecting and storing massive volumes of patient data. While wearables are still a relatively new technology, their influence on future trials is likely to grow as manufacturers and clinical research institutions collaborate to make the devices more reliable and efficient at collecting data.
eSource
You no longer need to worry about leaving a paper trail. Electronic Data Capture and other eClinical tools facilitate eSource, allowing for streamlined monitoring of clinical studies without the months-long accumulation of paper. Electronic patient-reported outcomes and clinical outcomes assessments (ePRO/eCOA) make filling out forms convenient for patients, caregivers, and sites. The data is then sent immediately to an EDC (Electronic Data Capture) system, giving researchers real-time access to their data!
Patient recruitment
Patient recruitment is a continuing challenge in clinical trials, but mobile communications can help. As long as a reliable link exists, even underserved communities in far-flung regions can participate in clinical studies. In addition, project developers should take advantage of social media’s widespread availability to better reach out to and recruit trial participants from diverse groups, including previously under-served populations. Other technologies that can help with recruitment are electronic data capture, electronic informed consent, and electronic clinical outcome assessment.
Capturing patient information
Capturing patient information has the potential to be vastly enhanced by the use of mobile devices, wearable medical technologies, and smartphone-based apps, Information collected from patients is essential to clinical trials since it guides future studies and determines treatment success or failure. The use of central data hubs and wearable devices simplifies the collection of a large amount of data that would otherwise be difficult to gather. Statistics provide a means for organizations to monitor data and data relevance can be made available electronically in multiple locations. Trial efficiency can be increased by improving clinical data and boosting patient engagement. Other tools that help improve clinical trials by capturing data include the Internet of Things, machine learning, virtual reality, and smart sensors.
Looking back, technological advancements have greatly aided in reforming clinical trials and the medical industry as a whole. It’s exciting to consider how far clinical trials with the aid of contemporary technologies can advance potentially life-saving drugs and medical devices.
