Healthcare technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and the clinical trials industry is no exception. The past few years have seen a steady rise in the adoption of decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) as an alternative to traditional clinical trials, and this trend is expected to continue in 2023 and beyond.

Decentralized clinical trials have gained popularity due to their ability to improve patient access, reduce costs, and accelerate study timelines. DCTs leverage digital technologies to enable patients to participate in clinical trials from the comfort of their own homes or nearby medical facilities, instead of having to travel to a centralized trial site. This has been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, as traditional clinical trials were significantly impacted by lockdowns and social distancing measures.

With the growing need for accelerated drug development, traditional site-centric clinical trial models have evolved to handle consumer requirements during unforeseen events. According to recent data published by the Global data Pharma Intelligence Center, decentralized or remote clinical trials have successfully brought research closer to the patients, with an overall increase of 1.3% of all trials in 2011 to 2.5% in 2020