Three Reasons Why Decentralized Trial Models Using Mobile Research Nurses Yield Greater Financial Returns: New Studies Estimate DCTs Deliver More Than a Five-Fold ROI Due to Reductions in Clinical Phase Cycle Times, Decreases in Screen Failure Rates and Fewer Substantial Protocol Amendments
Decentralized trials (DCTs) have grown in acceptance since the COVID-19 pandemic when mobile research nurses were asked to step in to save hundreds of site-based clinical trials at risk of being postponed or cancelled because of mandated lockdowns. But despite their proven effectiveness, DCTs are still often an afterthought or an add-on option to site-based trials due to cost concerns
The perception has been that deploying mobile research nurses to visit patients at their own homes would be more expensive than site-based trials. However, a recent study by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (Tufts) shows that not only are DCTs more patient-centric, but they also provide comparatively high returns on investments for sponsors.
In a video interview prior to the 2026 DPHARM conference, Andrea Valente, CEO of uMotif, shares what she expects to be at the center of the conversation—from building trust between patients and sites to where AI may and may not have a role in that relationship.
A platform-based approach connects AI across workflows, data and governance, helping life sciences organizations move from isolated wins to real scale.
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