The "Veeva 2015 Paperless TMF Survey: Annual CRO Report" reveals a significant increase in the number of contract research organizations (CROs) using electronic trial master file (eTMF) applications from just one year ago. The global study of TMF owners found that 38% of CROs surveyed now use eTMF applications versus just 21% in 2014. A number of benefits are prompting CROs’ adoption of eTMF technology. More than half (58%) say faster study start-up is a key driver, while 50% cite cost savings.
The industry-wide study also shows a notable shift away from paper and paper-based processes. CRO respondents are adopting electronic processes across content-intensive areas, including clinical operations, regulatory, drug safety, and data management. The data management area saw the largest decrease in its use of paper, down from 27% in 2014 to 8% in 2015. Clinical operations, which manages the greatest number of TMF documents overall, also saw a sharp decline from 47% in 2014 to 34% in 2015.
