Technology

A new global Tufts CSDD survey of 387 investigative site professionals reveals broad experience with digital and decentralized trial tools, growing site-driven technology investments, and strong support for remote data collection—while highlighting persistent burdens tied to fragmented systems, training demands, and financial strain.

Emerging applications of AI/ML, automation, and digitization are helping sponsors cut clinical trial start-up times to as little as four weeks, reduce data errors, and enhance patient engagement—demonstrating how tech-enabled processes are reshaping trial efficiency and experience across the study lifecycle.

Leveraging real-world data and AI-driven insights in clinical trial planning can reduce enrollment failures, improve retention, and prevent costly rescue studies by providing a more accurate view of patient populations and site feasibility.

Melissa Hutchens, vice president of research & benchmarking at WCG, and Jimmy Garza, senior director of clinical operations at Bayer, discuss findings from the latest WCG CenterWatch Global Site Relationship Survey, revealing a decline in overall site satisfaction. They explore key drivers behind this trend, including technology usability, communication gaps, and limited site input in protocol design, and share actionable approaches to strengthen sponsor-site partnerships and improve study execution.

As biotechs expand their outsourced clinical operations, adopting a CTMS is becoming essential to ensure CRO oversight, regulatory compliance, and real-time visibility across trials and portfolios.

In 2025, both big pharma and biotech are redefining decision-making as AI, real-world evidence, and flexible deal structures accelerate drug development, flatten organizational silos, and close the innovation gap across the life sciences ecosystem.

In a decentralized, digitally enabled clinical trial environment, conventional approaches to data analysis are evolving as sponsors utilize technological tools in new ways to ensure compliance with global standards, mitigate risk, and bring life-changing therapies to patients faster.

Thermo Fisher will integrate OpenAI APIs into its Accelerator Drug Development platform and clinical research business, while Lundbeck deploys ChatGPT across its global workforce to drive R&D and commercial innovation.

As decentralized and hybrid trial models expand, eConsent is emerging as a critical tool for improving participant understanding, reducing site burden, and strengthening data integrity through digital automation, accessibility, and regulatory compliance.

How a unified approach to clinical data management, powered by artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, can elevate clinical trial monitoring and redefine how teams assess, act on and learn from data.

Learn how early regulatory engagement, validated digital systems, and robust protocol design enable biotechs to run parallel studies without compromising compliance or data integrity.

As pharma wrestles with whether to trust fully autonomous AI, semi-autonomous agents are emerging as a safer middle ground that reduces manual work, eliminates white space in clinical development, and accelerates trial timelines without compromising patient safety.

Uncover how improving data accuracy and leveraging synthetic control arms can optimize trial efficiency, reduce costs, and generate stronger real-world insights.

Sustainability should be central to clinical trial design and considerate of how digital tools such as electronic clinical outcomes assessments can help achieve this.

Examine strategies for validating, monitoring, and safely deploying configurable AI agents to ensure compliance and performance in clinical trials.

Capturing insights from clinical research professionals on the key trends and challenges shaping drug development today, from those in clinical trial operations and site relationships, to technology and AI, and the evolving regulatory and policy terrain.

Take a closer look at how agentic AI can automate repetitive monitoring tasks while keeping human oversight central to critical decision-making in clinical research.

Regulatory inspections of interactive response technology systems have surged 140% since 2022, signaling intensified global scrutiny of data integrity, randomization, and system validation in clinical trials.

In this episode of the ACT Podcast, we highlight a recent Q&A featuring Ibrahim Kamstrup-Akkaoui, vice president of data systems innovation at Novo Nordisk; and a feature article by Chris Driver, senior director of product management, Patient Suite at IQVIA, in which they both highlight how sponsors are adopting automation to streamline operations.

Gain perspective on how agentic AI can bridge eCOA, EDC, IRT, and CTMS platforms to reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency.

Understand how adaptive human-in-the-loop frameworks can maintain safety and decision quality as AI becomes more embedded in trial monitoring and data review.

The convergence of AI, decentralized technologies, behavioral science, and real-world evidence opens the door to a new era in which the clinical trial industry proactively addresses participation barriers, integrates social determinants of health, and reimagines patient centricity.

Gain insight into how AI-powered agents can eliminate inefficiencies, shorten development timelines, and free clinical teams to focus on strategic decision-making.

Discover how early site involvement, streamlined training, and AI-driven tools can simplify system complexity and enhance efficiency in clinical trials.

Learn how internal infrastructure, cultural buy-in, and workflow-focused technology choices can strengthen collaboration and reduce site burden in clinical trials.