Long-Term Follow-Up Studies Go Virtual

By Robin Douglas, Sr. Director, Head of Site Operations, IQVIA Virtual Trials

How virtual models can improve patient retention in long-term follow-up studies, cutting the time, cost and burden for Patients and Investigators

While long-term follow-up studies are vital for tracking the extended efficacy and safety of novel treatments – especially in Oncology. But these studies can be expensive and time-consuming for investigators, sponsors and patients. They can stretch for a decade or longer, making it challenging for investigators to keep track of patients, and for patients to maintain their commitment to a study as participation becomes more burdensome and less relevant to their current lives.

These burdens can be greatly reduced when sponsors adopt virtual trial solutions. Virtual trials offer time and cost savings for sponsors, investigators and patients without compromising patient safety, or the quality and consistency of data collected. The same is true for long-term follow-up studies to track oncology patients post-treatment.