When the Best Sites are Necessary

“It’s time. The industry is ready”, said Roth. “Many of the strategies which were being piloted before 2020 are now being implemented and followed closely for progress. We are proud to be a part of this effort. As a network, PRN has committed to new patient-centric, data-efficient solutions.”

AUSTIN, Texas (PRWEB)
January 06, 2021

The pharmaceutical industry is known for being dynamic and innovative when it comes to drug discovery. However, when it comes to day-to-day operations, clinical trial operations are still using DOS™. Okay, it’s not that bad. They are managed via legacy data systems that don’t communicate well with other study-required systems. Here’s an example of the lack of modernization affecting day to day ops in a robust yet unnecessary way; clinical research associates must often travel to review paper documents that could be accessed remotely. Most clinical trial data is collected and reviewed via paper documentation, double-data entry, scanning, and faxing – yes faxing – not to mention expensive, long-term storage of paper documents for decades in some cases. We’d like all systems to play nice.

When patients are frustrated by the accessibility and transparency of the trial process, it is often due to factors out of the research site’s control. Many of the study and data management tools that are deployed for use in clinical trials are chosen by the sponsoring pharmaceutical company or a contract research organization (CRO) that is hired to manage their trials. “For decades, our clinical teams have spent countless hours maintaining training certifications across dozens of data platforms to accommodate quality data entry. Many of the systems have improved in recent years, but others subtract rather than add to our efficiencies.”, said Christy Shultz, Founder of Platinum Research Network and President of Sundance Clinical Research, a PRN member. “Over the last decade, our network has engaged strategic partnerships with major pharma and CRO clients. More recently, they have included our investigators and clinical teams in discussions to optimize data management and other clinical trial efficiencies.”

Here is how one network, Platinum Research Network, is changing the game. “We are happy to have a seat at the table in these discussions as we’re on the front lines as it relates to implementation”, said Shultz. She continued, “Moreover, as a network we have implemented some efficiencies where we could, on our own. For example, all PRN sites have HIPAA compliant data systems to facilitate review of clinical trial participant data remotely as well as remote oversight of regulatory documents.”

While the current COVID pandemic is our industry’s immediate challenge, it also presents an opportunity, said Shultz. “Never before has the need for remote accommodations or system integrations been more apparent. Travel restrictions alone have challenged traditional study oversight and management plans. More importantly, potential clinical trial participants must put themselves in a greater danger to participate in a trial in-person. “

“Platinum Research Network has fully embraced the industry’s initiative to optimize management of clinical trials”, said Jason Roth, Vice President of Platinum Research Network. Patient centricity gives patients jurisdiction over their own healthcare when it comes to participation in clinical trials, provides a modern experience, and yields better data. This allows for a more fluid and transparent enrollment process for any research participant. “As we continue to develop new virtual trial technologies and processes, it’s important that we keep patient centricity top of mind. By offering more efficient ways for study participants to partake, we can accelerate delivery of better health care options and reduce the costs of drug development.”

“It’s time. The industry is ready”, said Roth. “Many of the strategies which were being piloted before 2020 are now being implemented and followed closely for progress. We are proud to be a part of this effort. As a network, PRN has committed to new patient-centric, data-efficient solutions. We commit to not simply returning to Business as Usual after COVID pandemic retreats. We can’t go back on the recent progress that has been made. All efforts should focus on continuing to improve the clinical trial participant’s experience, gain efficiencies in clinical trial management, and improve the reliability of the trial data.”

We recently spoke with Allyson Small, COO of SCRS, about our support of the #NoGoingBack initiative. She is a Chairperson. They state, “As an industry, we learned bold new ways to conduct trials due to COVID-19. Now that we have seen the future so clearly, there is no going back.” Take the pledge today!

#NoGoingBack #DCT #patientcentricity

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