FUTURE OF VIRTUAL CLINICAL TRIALS

 INTRODUCTION:

Virtual clinical trials, also known as remote/decentralized clinical trials are digitally empowered processes, which refers a new model of gathering safety and efficacy data from clinical trial subjects.

Virtual clinical trials are used to create an enhanced patient-centric ecosystem and to operate important digital changes in clinical research methodologies.

CONVENTIONAL TRIAL PROCESS VS VIRTUAL CLINICAL TRIAL PROCESS:-

BENEFITS OF VIRTUAL CLINICAL TRIALS:

 i)Enhanced data quality

 ii)Improved trial efficiency

iii)Higher patient recruitment 

iv)Cost-effective

v)Patient safety monitoring

vi)Risk based real time monitoring 

vii)Larger sample size 

viii)Reduced medical staff  

ix)Shorten time to market  

x) Stay-at-home trials

CHALLENGES WITH VIRTUAL CLINICAL TRIALS:

✓ Developing trust is the major challenge

✓ Requires good knowledge of digital ecosystem

✓ Sponsor must investigate in sophisticated technology

✓ Patient concerns over sensitive data on internet

✓ Patients who require in-hospital monitoring are not appropriate for this approach

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON VIRTUAL CLINICAL TRIALS

The social distancing and lockdown implemented during covid-19 pandemic caused major threat to clinical trials and accelerated the use of Virtual clinical trials.

Research had shown that many pharma companies will continue to use Virtual trials after covid-19 pandemic.

DIGITAL COMPONENTS THAT ENABLE VIRTUAL CLINICAL TRIAL

CONCLUSION:

✓ Virtual Clinical Trials are the future of clinical trials as it delivers value to the pharmaceutical industry by eliminating manual data entries,loss of data during manual data portability,loss of time sensitive patient data,delayed approvals and site payments.

✓ In future the virtual trials are likely to accommodate advanced versions of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation to offer more engaging virtual patient interactions in clinical trials.

 REFERENCES:

• https://www.cloudbyz.com/blog/category/virtual-trials

• https://www.google.com/search?q=virtual+clinical+trials+vs+traditional+clinical+trial

• https://images.app.goo.gl/gxYceVHGM3Mpw56e7

Written By:

 1. Anudeep (Pharm. D Vth Year) e-mail: anushajagillapuram19@gmail.com 2. Bollam Sarika (Pharm. D Vth Year) e-mail: bollamsarika@gmail.com