When the single biggest reason for patient dropout is the burden of travel, continuing to design every trial around a physical clinic isn’t just inefficient—it represents a systemic failure to meet patients where they are.
Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs) are often discussed as a technology trend, but this view misses the point entirely. DCT is not about technology; it’s a strategic solution to the core problem of access.
The Ethical Case: If we have the tools—telehealth, home nursing, remote monitoring—to reduce patient burden and increase access for a more diverse and representative population, there is a strong ethical argument that we are obligated to use them. Forcing a patient to choose between their health and their job because of inflexible site visits is a choice we can, and should, design out of the system.
The Business Case: For biotech leaders, the argument is even more direct. DCTs are the most powerful weapon against the 80% enrollment failure rate that plagues our industry. By implementing a hybrid or fully decentralized model, you can:
- Solve the Enrollment Crisis by expanding your geographic recruitment pool exponentially.
- Reduce the 30% Dropout Rate by directly targeting its number one cause: travel burden.
- Improve Data Quality by capturing information more frequently and in the patient’s real-world environment.
DCT is the practical embodiment of patient-centricity. It is no longer a question of if organizations should adopt these methods, but how quickly and effectively they can do so.
How does your current trial design stack up against the new industry standard?
Take our free, 6-question Patient-Centricity Audit to find out.
