Walking The Tightrope: Navigating Patient Centricity And Burden In Modern Clinical Trials

In recent decades, clinical trials have experienced significant progress, yet challenges persist, with dropout rates reaching up to 20%, highlighting ongoing concerns about patient burden and engagement. In response, a concerted effort has been made by sponsors, healthcare providers, and researchers to prioritize the centrality of patients in every aspect of clinical trial decision-making.

Navigating this landscape involves striking a delicate balance between prioritizing patients and obtaining essential research data. Decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) and remote patient monitoring have emerged as strategies to alleviate patient burdens, aiming to streamline assessments while recognizing the unique identities, values, and priorities of each participant. Taking a holistic perspective that acknowledges patients beyond their role in the trial allows for a proactive understanding of potential challenges, such as scheduling or procedural difficulties, minimizing discomfort and inconvenience.

The key lies in aligning clinical research decisions with the values and preferences of individual patients, fostering an ethical and empathetic foundation. This approach maximizes the benefits of patient-centricity while mitigating any adverse impact on patients' well-being and participation. This assessment explores how patient-centric efforts incorporate considerations of patient burden, establishing benchmarks for providers to discern when the risks may outweigh the rewards in the realm of clinical research.