There Is Value To Patients When Independent Sites Offer Clinical Trials

By Steve Smith, President Patient Advocacy, WCG, and Lindsay McCarthy, VP, WCG PharmaSeek

The COVID-19 pandemic suddenly changed the clinical trials environment with impacts on all stakeholders that at first are negative, but could be positive in the long term.

There is talk of transformation that could last well beyond the crisis. Optimistic views include speculation that there could be wider adoption of practices that have languished in concept or startup mode until now. Benefits to drug developers, clinical research sites, patients and society itself are in discussion. 

We observe that the COVID-19 crisis shines a light on the benefits to patients and industry stakeholders of bringing clinical trials closer to patients’ homes, including through the use of independent clinical research sites.