When The Trial Site Is A Living Room: Pharma Explores Virtual Research Options

One day in the future, clinical studies may routinely be carried out in the virtual world, with patients mostly staying put at home instead of traveling to trial sites. For now, sponsors are experimenting with new models for drug development and taking it one step at a time.

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How the mobile device revolution is disrupting the way pharma conducts clinical trials • Source: Shutterstock

Today, roughly 75% of Americans own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011, and acquisition by older adults and those with lower incomes has been increasing in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center. Furthermore, 70% use social media, up from about 50% in 2011.

For many people, interacting with devices is a big part of life, said Noah Craft, CEO and co-founder of the...

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