Clinical Trial Management: Enabling Operational Efficiency

The way the biopharmaceutical industry conducts clinical trials is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Coupled with this much needed evolution are new challenges specific to the increasing role that information technology will play to power this new clinical development landscape. This article describes technology as an enabler of high performance and outlines Accenture’s view of macro and micro trends in the biopharmaceutical industry and how these will help drive faster technology adoption.

Of the many challenges facing the biopharmaceutical industry, the critical need for greater operational efficiency in clinical drug development is paramount. With flat and even declining productivity, rising research and development costs; more complex preapproval trials and large post-approval studies driven by the shift toward biological agents; and increasing regulatory demands, it is essential that clinical trials are managed more effectively and efficiently. While progress has been made in addressing these challenges, companies are increasingly turning to clinical trial management systems to improve trial efficiencies, cut trial costs, and enhance the productivity of trial participants.

For biopharmaceutical companies to meet the objectives of increasing clinical trial throughput and reducing costs, Accenture sees the need for improvement on several fronts, including control, operational efficiency—with a goal of reaching operational excellence—and better decision making.
Clinical trial management technologies play a central role in providing these capabilities to evolving development organizations.