A YPrime blog by:
Terry Rehm,
Head of Thought Leadership & Public Relations, YPrime
On the morning news recently, I heard that landlines may be gone from large cities by 2026 or 2027, and that only 26% of American adults still have landlines.¹ It’s fascinating to watch technology evolve.
Like all industries, the clinical trial space has evolved to continually adopt new technologies. However, perhaps similar to those who still prefer to use landlines, some clinical trial study teams still use paper rather than digital tools for certain tasks, such as informed consent and patient diaries.
Transitioning from paper to digital requires a change in process. If you are holding off on eConsent and eCOA because you believe clinical trial participants prefer paper, you may be mis-informed!
A new survey reveals that an overwhelming 87% of clinical trial participants said that in the future, they would prefer to complete their entries in an eDiary (66%). 21% of respondents said they had no preference between paper and digital. When it comes to consent, 76% said that moving forward, they would prefer digital (50%), while 26% had no preference between paper and eConsent.
It’s important for clinical study teams to understand what patients want. Patient retention in clinical research is driven by the active involvement of participants—as well as ethical considerations, technology, and regulatory influences. A positive patient experience can reduce patient drop-out rates—which average 30% and have an associated expense of $19,000 per replacement recruit ²!
Clinical trials require a lot from patients, and as an industry, we have a responsibility to minimize patient burden. YPrime published a report on just two patient task areas—informed consent and diary maintenance. We invite you to read the white paper with survey results from the Life Science Strategy Group (LSSG).
As clinical trials evolve, embracing new technologies can not only streamline processes, but improve the participant experience. Transitioning to eConsent, eCOA, and ePRO involves change, but the benefits cannot be ignored.
By leveraging new technologies, clinical trial study teams can empower participants, improve data quality, and enhance retention throughout the trial lifecycle. Patient-friendly approaches to clinical research fosters trust and reinforces our commitment to reducing patient burden.
To learn more about how YPrime supports clinical trial sponsors, patients, and research sites, visit our clinical trial technology page.