Regarding Clinical Trial Matching Services, How Mature Is This Technology? What Should I Be Looking For If I Want To Use These Services, And Do They Work Well In All Therapeutic Areas?

A | TECHNOLOGY IS A RELATIVELY SMALL PART of determining the success of matching eligible subjects to appropriate clinical trials. The key is being able to solicit information from the potential subject that is sufficiently accurate to identify an appropriate study, along with keeping the study information current. With amendments and sites coming in and moving on, the sponsor must be committed to active management of the service. In selecting the type of service, it is important to match to the therapy area — registries work well for chronic illnesses, search-engine- driven services work for conditions that need to be addressed acutely (e.g., oncology). My advice is to always first consult with your potential sites, and ask them what works.

MARY ROSE KELLER is VP clinical operations at Heron Therapeutics.