Prioritizing Efficiency

Whenever the calendar shifts to a new year, I always take time to think about potential changes in our industry. When it pertains to clinical trials, areas such as emerging technology, new risk-based approaches, and navigating increased amounts of data—just to name a few—are changing how clinical operations professionals manage their studies.

Applied Clinical Trials recently spoke with Dipanwita Das, CEO and co-founder, Sorcero, about what should be top of mind for clinical operations professionals in 2025.

Das said, “First and foremost, operational efficiency—the picks and shovels of what makes this system work is essential; and making sure that we have a really strong foundation of operational efficiency in terms of processes and technology and standardized [key performance indicators] in regular measurement of impact are going to be really important.”

With a need for operational efficiency, while also leveraging new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the landscape of clinical operations is evolving. Our first issue of 2025 focuses on this changing terrain and how stakeholders are adapting.

Our main feature this month explores data analytics, a key component of optimizing efficiency in clinical operations. While data continues to expand in its complexity, properly harnessing the many data channels and tools now available can provide valuable and practical insights for clinical operations professionals.

To that end as well, our second feature is a piece from the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) on the importance of benchmarking and incorporating data-driven insights during the investigative site qualification process. Capturing results of a recent study conducted by Tufts, the article highlights how CROs can better optimize their relationships with sites.

Our next feature, authored by associate editor Don Tracy, addresses the role of AI in clinical trials and medicine creation. The piece includes commentary from industry leaders on specific ways emerging AI technology might impact the industry moving forward. Rounding out our feature slate is a dive into the Federal Research Credit and what sponsors should be keeping top of mind when deciding whether to claim the credit.

Thank you for reading.

Mike Hennessy Jr is president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences®