Decentralized Clinical Trials: From Evolution to Revolution

The life sciences industry is widely known to be a slow adopter of innovation due to regulatory and patient safety considerations. As a result, clinical trials have remained notoriously expensive, lengthy and complex – to such a degree that the current clinical development research model has become an obstacle to the creation of safe, cost-effective therapies. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the tortoise became the hare because of the way in which the pandemic accelerated the modernization of clinical development. In this paper, we’ll examine how the pandemic and other events set the stage for disruption in clinical trials. In addition, we’ll explore the current paradigm for decentralized clinical trials with an eye on what the future might hold for a broader revolution.