Thinking Ahead: 5 Post-Pandemic Priorities for Clinical Trial Oversight

In their ongoing series, McKinsey talks about “the next normal” and the importance of “emerging stronger from the coronavirus pandemic.” We at Concinnity are committed to doing our part to make sure that the clinical trial ecosystem can do just that — emerge from the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic with even greater focus, speed, security and scale than before.

Today, we look at the 5 priorities that McKinsey calls out for CEO’s as we build the next normal, and think about how these recommendations apply to the emerging imperatives for the clinical trial ecosystem. 

1. HARNESS THE CLOUD

Responsible, forward-thinking oversight must be built around the cloud. McKinsey writes that “By 2030, there could be $1 trillion at stake — and it’s likely that early adopters will win the lion’s share.” In clinical trial oversight, we believe the same will be true — the lion’s share of the benefits, by way of speed and scale for new drug development, will go to those who leverage cloud technology to supercharge the effectiveness of their oversight teams and committees. 


2. RECONSIDER SUSTAINABILITY

Here, the focus is on how clinical trial oversight can do its part to adapt to climate change. At first blush, this feels largely unrelated. However, building operations around cloud technology, ideal for remote work during the pandemic, will also make it easy for oversight teams to reduce their travel and commutes for the long term. Indeed, cloud technology is a prime example of how a combination of innovation and necessity can accelerate growth that is good for the planet, the people, and the bottom line.

3. LEVERAGE YOUR TALENT

While oversight teams are often not together for the long term, that doesn’t mean that being part of trial oversight work can’t be an efficient and educational experience for all participants. Access to an ever-growing library of thought leadership, best practices and automation can help everyone on the team optimize their time, get more done and enjoy the work. Cutting non-value added tasks and work from the process frees up time for thought, higher level taks and learning.  Oversight committee members and support teams alike are precious resources to be used more wisely through better systems, content and processes.

4. EMBRACE SPEED

The promise of cloud technology to support faster, more efficient work is unparalleled. The pandemic has pushed us all to adopt the agile, iterative work methods that will serve us even more beyond the pandemic. When professionals can work from anywhere, they work faster. When mundane tasks can be automated, there is more time (and energy) for the hard work, which means it gets done faster and better. And when clinical trial oversight is faster and more focused, breakthrough drugs and therapies can get to market and serve more patients.

5. RECONNECT WITH PURPOSE

While geography once served as a limiting factor for finding mission-aligned oversight team members, cloud technology enables finding and engaging the optimal clinical trial oversight talent. And finding meaning in work is no longer a “nice to have”. It can be a driving factor in how oversight teams are put together. This will go a long way toward aligning everyone involved around a shared purpose, supporting the speed and scale aspects of new drug development. 


As McKinsey has pointed out, some priorities will rise above the rest as we move into a new reality beyond the pandemic. These same priorities can focus and drive the post-pandemic priorities for every stakeholder in clinical trial oversight. 

Are you ready? 

Learn more about how
Cloud Concinnity can support your clinical trial oversight.