As medicine advances, the need for more clinical trials increases. However, trial delays remain a significant challenge. The majority of trials take place in university medical centers, which can be highly centralized and inaccessible to large portions of the population. This can result in a lack of clinical trials in close proximity to eligible patients, which can impede care. As a result, 85% of all clinical trials fail to recruit enough patients. A study found that 80% of patients are delayed due to recruitment issues, which can cost up to $8 million per day and lead to bottlenecks in drug development.
To address these challenges, decentralized clinical trials have emerged as an important tool. Decentralization aims to reduce the need for long trips to a particular trial site, making participation easier for patients. Virtual clinical trials leverage digital technology and telemedicine to conduct certain clinical trial activities remotely. Remote clinical trials involve the conduct of clinical trial activities outside of a traditional clinical trial site, usually with patients at home or in a local medical facility. Home-based clinical trials are conducted primarily at the patient’s home, while siteless trials completely eliminate the need for a physical trial site.
While decentralized trials provide convenience and accessibility to patients, they also create new challenges for the industry. Enrolling enough people to complete trials is a major problem and bottleneck in bringing life-saving drugs to the market. The key is to build a vast network of sites that can recruit/refer clinical trials and expand the patient base. Decentralizing clinical trials enhances patient-centred care, expands access to experimental therapies, and improves healthcare ecosystems. It also facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing among healthcare providers, generates real-world data and evidence, streamlines processes and reduces costs, and fosters innovation and technology adoption.
In conclusion, the decentralization of clinical trials has a positive impact on the healthcare ecosystem through increased patient centricity, access, collaboration, and real-world healthcare.