The annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago highlighted the latest new molecules, methods of care, and innovation in cancer care. 

As the show closed out, we checked in with our associates to see what they thought were the biggest news and trends of the show. 

‍

For the last twenty years, clinical trials have been steadily digitizing. 

As the EDC and eTMF systems of the early 2000s gave way to the eCOA and eConsent tools of the 2010s, site, and participant experiences throughout clinical research were improved. 

Since our inception in 2015, Medable has conducted over 300+ digital and decentralized trials using eCOA, eConsent, telehealth, and more. However, just as a bell curve shows, adoption rates for new technologies can wildly vary across our industry. While some organizations quickly implement new technologies, others take a more cautious approach. 

‍

Over the last decade the number of oncology trials has skyrocketed, almost doubling the number of all other therapeutic areas combined, according to the WIRB-Copernicus Group¹. Known for their complex design, oncology trials often present various participant, site, and sponsor hurdles.

Sponsors and CROs looking to tackle these challenges andreduce the burden on participants and sites should explore the potential of digital solutions, particularly electronic informed consent (eConsent) and electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO). Both tools offer expanded views of the participant journey while offering feedback that enables sponsors and CROs to enhance and refine their trials for all stakeholders.

‍