The idea is that this tech might be able to speed up the process in conducting clinical trials.
The pharmaceuticals industry has not been known for taking on mobile technology with any great speed but, more recently, there have been some new developments that could change that trend as well as the nature of clinical trials.
Recent innovations have shown that mobile tech could greatly enhance interactions with patients.
The idea is that CROs could use mobile technology in order to manage both site and patient interactions by way of a process-streamlining application. In this way, it would be possible for reporting to become more accurate and to provide CROs with a greater level of engagement and control at every stage of a clinical trial. It is important to note that the pharmaceuticals industry wasn’t actually adverse to adopting new tech. Instead, it required considerable study and evidence to prove that this new method would not harm the accuracy of the outcomes of the studies.
It is now reaching the point that the industry is becoming convinced that mobile technology could be greatly helpful.
According to the founder and CEO of Exco InTouch (a provier of data capture and patient engagement solutions), Tim Davis, in an interview with Outsourcing-Pharma, “Many processes used within clinical trials were set up before mobile technology existed.” In the report on the subject, he added that “Therefore, it has taken time and evidence from the experiences of ‘early adopters’ to demonstrate the value digital technologies can add to clinical studies.”
Davis also went on to say that the foundation of evidence, as well as the necessary technology and infrastructure for using it, have reached the point that they now support clinical use. He now feels that adopting mobile tech isn’t long off and that it won’t be long before the rest of the pharmaceutical industry starts to head in the same direction.
In this vein, Exco InTouch unveiled a new product suite that would bring together the use of mobile technology with the ability to conduct clinical trials that link tech systems that have traditionally been independent.
We are excited to see how clinical research will start using mobile technology outside of just the wearable space. From logistics to consent there is huge potential that could help cut down the traditionally long drug development timeline.