Key takeaways
Central labs are becoming strategic trial partners, offering data integration and operational support to simplify complex, decentralized, and hybrid studies.
Investment in technology and partnerships, such as real-time tracking, automation, and at-home sample collection, is essential to maintain sample integrity and operational efficiency in decentralized models.
AI implementation requires careful alignment with regulators and sponsors, emphasizing transparency, validation, and collaboration to ensure ethical, effective use in trial operations.
ACT: How is the role of the central lab evolving as clinical trials grow more complex and decentralized?
Bailey: The central lab has transitioned from being primarily a testing engine to a strategic partner that enables trial success. As trials grow more complex, with larger data volumes, more global sites, and hybrid or decentralized designs, central labs must do more than just deliver results. At Labcorp, we’re leading this evolution by helping to break down silos, improving data integration, and offering proactive operational support that simplifies trial execution for sponsors, sites, and patients alike.
Today’s central labs must help biopharma partners adapt to trial complexity while keeping patient-centricity and data integrity front and center. For us, that means becoming an integrator—bringing together industry stakeholders and streamlining clinical trials from study design and start up to execution and closure.
ACT: Can you share examples of how central labs are adapting to decentralized or hybrid trial models while maintaining sample integrity and operational efficiency?
Bailey: We’re seeing growing interest in hybrid trials that include non-traditional testing such as at home sample collection and patient-facing technologies. Labcorp is addressing this shift by investing in end-to-end tracking technologies and automation, which help manage complex global logistics and preserve sample quality across geographies. Labcorp is leveraging its decentralized capabilities such as Patient Service Centers and patient self-collection, and partnerships like Hawthorne Health where we are bringing healthcare professionals to patients.
With these innovations, combined with proactive supply chain management and regional lab expansion, we can ensure we maintain speed and quality regardless of how or where samples are collected.
ACT: The Future of the Central Lab report notes a tension between artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and regulatory clarity. How should clinical operations teams approach AI implementation in this uncertain environment?
Bailey: With AI and machine learning poised to disrupt the traditional operations within central labs, we believe the key is to adopt AI in a deliberate and transparent way. Central labs can also play a leadership role by engaging with regulators early, participating in cross-industry standardization, and building trust through consistent, validated performance.
Labcorp is taking a collaborative approach to AI implementation by actively engaging biopharma sponsor partners in building AI-enabled solutions. Through pilots, Customer Advisory Board sessions, and other collaboration opportunities, we ensure that our AI developments meet the requirements and address potential restrictions of our partners' internal teams. By partnering closely with sponsors, Labcorp demonstrates its commitment to appropriate and ethical AI use in the clinical trial space. This collaborative strategy allows us to develop AI solutions that are not only innovative but also aligned with industry needs and quality standards.
ACT: How can central labs ensure data and sample integrity when dealing with patient-facing technologies and home collection methods?
Ensuring sample integrity starts with rigorous protocols and technology. Labcorp employs smart logistics, such as real-time alerts on sample transit delays and environmental monitoring, to safeguard sample quality from the patient’s home to the lab. Labcorp also trains sites and patients alike on proper collection methods, and our kits are designed to be intuitive and robust. Standardizing procedures, leveraging automation, and incorporating data validation checks at each step all contribute to maintaining both sample and data integrity across decentralized models.
Labcorp is also leveraging collaborations like Hawthorne Health, which brings licensed healthcare providers to patients, ensuring proper collection and expanding the types of testing that can be done in the comfort of a patient's home.
ACT: What do you see as the biggest opportunity for central labs to accelerate drug development over the next 3–5 years?
One of the greatest opportunities is the integration of advanced genetics and biomarker-driven precision medicine into the clinical trial process. This approach can streamline clinical trials by driving patient identification and access. At Labcorp, we see genetic insights not as a niche specialty, but as a cornerstone of personalized patient care and a critical enabler of more targeted, efficient drug development. We’re also enabling sponsored testing programs that can accelerate access to innovative therapies.
Equally important is the ability to unify stakeholders across the ecosystem, including contract research organization, specialty labs, and trial sites. Many of today’s clinical trials require coordination across multiple testing partners, which can create friction, delays, and data silos. Labcorp helps mitigate that by offering comprehensive solutions that integrate data, automate processes, and support interoperability.
We also see value in investing in decentralization, automation, and global expansion to meet emerging healthcare needs. From hybrid trial models and patient-facing technologies to expanding lab infrastructure in regions like Latin America and Asia-Pacific, Labcorp is doing its part to help shape a more connected, efficient, and inclusive future for clinical research.
