Canadians Want More Options for Remote or Virtual Clinical Trials, New Survey Finds

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s clinical trials community was forced to adapt its approach to conducting clinical trials, offering innovative options for decentralized or hybrid trials, including virtual or remote participation. These novel approaches have the potential to increase access and equity in clinical trials, but how do trial participants and potential participants feel about them? A first-of-its-kind survey conducted by Clinical Trials Ontario and members of its College of Lived Experience shines light on patient and public perceptions about decentralized and hybrid clinical trials in Canada.  

Co-produced entirely with patient, caregiver, and family partners, the survey found that nearly 80 per cent of respondents want a range of options for in-person, at home and virtual site visits. Respondents also overwhelmingly agreed that decentralized trials would improve trial accessibility and potentially increase the diversity of clinical trial participants. These results support the importance of ongoing efforts by regulators and other organizations to ensure that decentralized and hybrid clinical trials are feasible.

Read the full news release here and view the open access paper published in Therapeutic Innovation and Regulatory Science here.

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