Research Focus: The Shift Towards Coordinated Action rather than Acquiring Additional Resources in Clinical Trials
In the dynamic world of life sciences, a new approach is gaining traction as a potential solution to streamline and optimize clinical trials: the clinical control tower. This strategic layer acts as a central hub that connects the fragmented trial ecosystem, allowing for real-time data, system, and decision-making integration.
The need for a leadership shift that comprehends the intersection of strategy, operations, and execution in clinical trials is evident. The focus should be on building towards speed and scale, rather than being stuck in reaction mode. The challenge isn't about building new platforms; it's about aligning existing platforms around a common operational framework.
Central to this transformation is the coordination of teams operating from the same data and timelines. Teams should be working in unison for efficient decision-making, a concept that has been proven effective in complex industries such as aviation and logistics.
The clinical control tower connects various essential components, including Randomization and Trial Supply Management (RTSM) and supply planning tools, real-time site feedback and patient insights, protocol changes with operational impact modeling, and AI and analytics to identify risk signals before they escalate.
One of the key benefits of the control tower is centralized visibility and real-time coordination. It provides a single, real-time view of trial activities, enabling quicker responses to issues that might disrupt study timelines or supply chains. This holistic oversight allows for more agile and informed decision-making.
Moreover, the control tower enhances supply chain management by integrating supply planning tools, ensuring that investigational products and controlled substances are tracked and managed efficiently, reducing delays or shortages that could compromise trial integrity.
Risk visualization and compliance are also significant advantages of the control tower, particularly for tightly regulated products. It visualizes risks across global movements, permits, and compliance requirements, helping sponsors maintain adherence to regulatory frameworks while minimizing operational hurdles.
Furthermore, the control tower accelerates innovation and agile product development. Organizations leveraging control tower technology have seen reduced time-to-market for new digital clinical products by 50%.
Lastly, the clinical control tower enables enhanced coordination across partner networks. Similar to supply chain control towers used in life sciences, it facilitates connected collaboration across multiple stakeholders, ensuring a seamless flow of information and products.
In conclusion, a clinical control tower transforms clinical trials by enabling proactive orchestration, data-driven insights, and real-time network-wide collaboration. These combined optimize trial operations, reduce risks, and speed up the delivery of innovative therapies to patients.
As patients grow increasingly impatient with trial timelines and broken communication loops, living in a world of real-time apps and same-day delivery, the need for such transformative technology becomes more pressing. The future of clinical trials lies in effective orchestration of technology across teams, systems, and time zones. Life sciences companies will be judged on their execution in the next five years, not just innovation.
Rahul Saluja, the Managing Partner & Board Advisor at Cognizant, is among the thought leaders advocating for this shift. His vision for the future of life sciences is one where clinical trials are not only more efficient but also more responsive to the needs of patients.
[1] Tata Consultancy Services (2021). TCS ADD™ Clinical Control Tower. [Online]. Available: https://www.tcs.com/content/dam/tcs/en-us/docs/solutions/life-sciences/tcs-add-clinical-control-tower.pdf [5] Accenture (2020). Life Sciences Clinical Trial Transformation: The New Normal. [Online]. Available: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-life-sciences-clinical-trial-transformation-the-new-normal-20200914
Rahul Saluja, a leading voice in life sciences, envisions a future where clinical trials are not only efficient but also patient-centric, leveraging the powers of science and health-and-wellness to address medical-conditions more effectively. The implementation of a clinical control tower, a strategic layer connecting the trial ecosystem, could speed up the development and delivery of innovative therapies by optimizing trial operations, minimizing risks, and enhancing network-wide collaboration.
