Adaptive Clinical Trials: 6 Traits to Look for in a Vendor
Adaptive is a word that has graced the life science industry for decades. By definition adaptive is showing or having a capacity for or tendency toward adaptation.
Advancement of science through clinical trials is all about adaptation. Without it, there would be no progress. So whether we talk about adaptive clinical trials (a.k.a., personalized medicine), adaptive patient recruitment (a.k.a. technological outreach platforms), or adaptive business models (a.k.a. functional service provider [FSP]), the goal is the same – to increase trial efficiencies through early or on-time study completion.
When you’re evaluating the right formula to produce success think in terms of flexibility and scalability. Regardless of vendor type, those you evaluate should be able to adapt to your needs. Be sure to understand their business model to confirm that they have the capability to make this happen.
What to look for to determine vendor flexibility and adaptability:
1. Size of company (small-to-midsized is preferable)
2. Limited number of outsourced services
3. If outsourced, length of vendor relationship(s)
4. Business model that supports core competences, for example, a patient recruitment and retention firm that handles creative development, translation, production, and global distribution
5. Execution rate of programs (evaluate what services were actually used in supported countries)
6. Flexibility in working under your contractual templates and requirements
Sometimes truncating the front end of the study timeline is the only option to increase trial efficiencies. If you find yourself managing this type of study, you’ll want to partner with those vendors that are nimble in their approach to meet your needs.