4 Reasons Decentralized Trials Are Here To Stay

By Becky Capps, Medrio

Long before the global pandemic, clinical trial sponsors were consumed with accelerating their studies and improving the trial experience for key stakeholders. Decentralization emerged as a leading factor in this pursuit. As COVID-19 inundated healthcare facilities and disrupted clinical research, it also catalyzed the adoption of decentralized solutions.

When health resources shifted priorities to COVID-19-related needs, patients’ trial site access reduced by 80 percent and trial starts declined by 50 percent between January and April 2020.¹ As a result, the industry was forced to adopt decentralized solutions to address growing challenges with remote trial activities and engaging with dispersed patients.

Although the pandemic isn’t behind us yet, trends are suggesting that decentralized trials are here to stay. One survey found that 98 percent of trial participants were satisfied with telemedicine^.2 And 72 percent of physicians reported similar or better experiences using remote engagement tools compared to in-clinic visits.

The response from the industry suggests that decentralization is not a fleeting fad. But what does the future of decentralized clinical trials look like? We will explore emerging trends resulting from decentralized trials during COVID-19 and what they suggest about the future of DCT.