As 2022 draws to a close, one observation about clinical trials continues to ring true. Clinical trials are becoming more complex, and sponsors require more from their sites. Clinical trial managers must be aware of the latest trends in the clinical trial space to maximize performance and improve the likelihood of a successful clinical trial outcome. Below, we've compiled a list of the five clinical trial trends that you need to keep front of mind in 2023:
Five Leading Clinical Trial Trends in 2023
The Continued Rise in Digital Clinical Trials
As technology advances, so do the inclusion of these new technologies in managing clinical trials. More and more sponsors require that sites utilize digital technologies in their studies, from electronic case report forms (eCRFs) to cloud-based data capture systems.
Technology can only help streamline the trial process by reducing paperwork, keeping study teams up to date on the latest developments at all times, and eliminating costly errors.
This need for clinical trial oversight-specific software is why we created the Cloud Concinnity Platform. With Cloud Concinnity, your clinical trial managers and employees can quickly produce, share, and store critical clinical trial process management, data, and communications - all from the security and convenience of the Cloud. Learn more about Cloud Concinnity here.
Aggressive Trial Timelines
The global pandemic, supply chain issues, and the rise of inflation have caused clinical trials to be delayed for the past several years. To make up for this lost time, sponsors will be pushing out aggressive clinical trial execution timelines that require sites to work even harder than before to meet tighter deadlines.
Sites that can quickly adapt and keep pace with these increased demands are sure to be successful in the future. However, areas that need to adapt and maintain efficiency in an increasingly competitive climate may be left behind.
One crucial way for sites to stay ahead of the curve is by investing in new technologies and systems that can help them streamline their operations, improve patient recruitment efforts, and automate regulatory compliance more easily. For example, implementing electronic data capture can help sites speed up trial execution times by reducing paperwork and minimizing errors. Likewise, using a system with automation and workflows can help to standardize practices at scale. It also empowers your team with the ability to automate their workflows.
The Rise in Trial Consolidation
As clinical trials become more complex, sponsors will begin to look for ways to consolidate their studies and streamline processes to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Sites offering a full range of services across multiple indication areas will be highly sought after by sponsors as they work to consolidate their studies.
There are several reasons why clinical trial consolidation is becoming a popular choice in 2023.
The number of interventional trials grows, sponsors will look for ways to simplify their processes.
Sponsors may also be interested in reducing costs by consolidating studies into fewer sites to more efficiently manage their budgets.
Finally, with sophisticated data analytics capabilities and a growing network of clinical trial sites, sponsors will have no trouble finding the right location for their studies.
Sponsors looking to consolidate their trials in 2023 should choose sites that offer a full range of services across multiple indication areas. For example, some sites may be specialists in oncology or other specific diseases, while others may have more experience with drug development in general. By choosing a site that can offer multiple services, sponsors can reduce their overall costs and improve efficiency.
More Aggressive Screening Practices
To increase trial efficiency and improve data quality, sites will be required to screen patients more aggressively than before. This means that study teams must have efficient screening methods and invest heavily in technology solutions designed to support these procedures.
They must also have protocols in place that encourage engagement between the site, the patient, and the sponsor. This way, sponsors can be confident that trial data has been obtained from patients with a high likelihood of responding to treatment.
Trend Toward Personalized Medicine
With personalized medicine emerging as a major trend in healthcare, clinical trials are quickly adapting to this new approach. By understanding each patient's unique genetic makeup, sites can create more targeted interventions that improve outcomes and reduce the burden placed on patients during the study process.
By reducing unnecessary and duplicative trials, personalized medicine has the potential to save time, money, and resources for the broader healthcare industry. However, some barriers still need to be overcome before this model can fully take root in clinical trials.
For starters, much of the technology needed for personalized medicine is still nascent compared to other areas of healthcare delivery. The big data analytics required to reliably interpret patient DNA or genomics data is not yet readily available at all sites conducting research. In addition, sites that have access to this type of technology require highly specialized personnel – including genetic counselors, bioinformaticians, and biostatisticians– who are in high demand across many industries. As such, it can be challenging to recruit and retain these professionals, particularly if they are being asked to take on additional study sites or trials.
As these trends continue to emerge in the years ahead, sites need to stay up-to-date on all the latest developments so they can better prepare for what lies ahead. To learn more about how you can future-proof your clinical trial operations and thrive in 2023, be sure to schedule your Cloud Concinnity demo today!