Over the past three years, physicians and caregivers are increasingly engaging with patients on a wide range of needs using digital technologies. As the healthcare industry continues to shift operations with digital components, there is a rising popularity – and necessity – for the implementation of Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs).
Though brick-and-mortar clinical sites will always be useful and necessary, we have seen an increased demand for DCTs, and as a result, our industry is gaining more insight into patient needs and the options to offer to enable an effective and more diverse clinical study.
Offering options is an important part of the clinical trial experience, and more specifically, how they enable the democratization of clinical trials. In recent discussions with industry colleagues, democratizing means enabling study sponsors to make trials more accessible – more democratized – to more patients with the use of current and emerging technologies.
Discussions at MAGI
In a recent panel discussion with my industry colleagues at the MAGI Clinical Research Conference earlier this year, we discussed the criticality of recruiting a diverse patient population for clinical trials, how democratizing clinical trials addresses healthcare gaps for patients, and why it’s so important to offer options to patients.
The inability to physically get to a center is one of the biggest barriers to diversity in clinical trial participation and disproportionately impacts those living in underserved communities. But digital innovation will be a key factor in furthering the democratization of clinical trials, while still incorporating the human touch throughout the patient journey to provide personalized support when and where it is needed.
It’s time to bring the trial to the patient and meet them where they are.
To discuss DCT design and options, please contact a member of our team.