Behind every successful clinical trial, is an intricate dance of researchers, patients, sponsors, regulatory bodies – and clinical trial technology —each playing their part in a highly regulated and often cumbersome process.
While there have been great strides in technology adoption and utilization that have distinctly and undeniably improved processes and workflows, technology hasn’t always been more of a help than a hindrance to that process. In fact, the rapidly expanding world of clinical trial technology has begun to lead to overwhelm, confusion and tech burnout. And where technology doesn’t penetrate are older methods like paper and email, and non-purpose built solutions.
However, the tide is turning. In a recent report published in the SOCRA Source Journal, we outline how the landscape of eClinical technology is evolving—and what this means for the future of clinical trials.
A New Wave of Digital Transformation
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for digital adoption. The need for rapid vaccine development forced researchers to embrace remote solutions such as electronic health records (EHR), telemedicine, and electronic signatures. Suddenly, what was once a nice-to-have became a vanguard, heralding rapid – and unprecedented – technological change.
This shift has led to an explosion of vendors, software solutions, and digital platforms designed to streamline the clinical trial process. The study found that there are now 248 unique vendors offering 834 different eClinical products, spanning categories like participant management, data collection, site enablement, and sponsor operations.
But with great innovation comes great complexity. The abundance of new tools has also introduced new challenges—many of these solutions operate in silos, fail to integrate seamlessly, and often create additional burdens for researchers rather than alleviating them.
A New Wave of Digital Transformation
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for digital adoption. The need for rapid vaccine development forced researchers to embrace remote solutions such as electronic health records (EHR), telemedicine, and electronic signatures. Suddenly, what was once a nice-to-have became a vanguard, heralding rapid – and unprecedented – technological change.
This shift has led to an explosion of vendors, software solutions, and digital platforms designed to streamline the clinical trial process. The study found that there are now 248 unique vendors offering 834 different eClinical products, spanning categories like participant management, data collection, site enablement, and sponsor operations.
But with great innovation comes great complexity. The abundance of new tools has also introduced new challenges—many of these solutions operate in silos, fail to integrate seamlessly, and often create additional burdens for researchers rather than alleviating them.
Mapping the Future: Utilizing Vendor and Process Maps
In the report by Dr. Andrea Bastek, and Beau Balthazar Bruneau, they highlight one of the most valuable contributions of the ensuing tech explosion: the creation of a clinical trial task map—a visual representation of the key tasks involved in a trial, the stakeholders responsible for them, and the technologies available to support each stage. This importance of roadmaps like these, is that they provide much-needed clarity in an increasingly complex ecosystem, helping sponsors, CROs, and research sites navigate the technology landscape more effectively.
In the report, they outline an example of a vendor map as well, which offers a comprehensive breakdown of technology providers, categorizing them based on their offerings and functions. For research teams seeking the right tech solutions to optimize their workflows, it’s a big help in determining which providers offer which services.
Download the Observational Analysis of the Clinical Trial Technology Landscape Report – previously published in the August 2024 issue of the SOCRA Magazine.
