Decentralised Clinical Trials

DCTs have been promoted as reducing participant burden, improving accessibility, increasing diversity, and potentially reducing trial time and cost. Decentralised trials may reduce participant burden, accelerate recruitment, and broaden geographic diversity. DCTs may be fully decentralised or partially decentralised hybrid trials. DCT adoption was not significantly associated with shorter trial duration in metabolic disease trials after adjustment. Decentralised clinical trials move some or all trial activities away from traditional trial sites using remote and digital methods. Decentralised clinical trial methods move trial activities away from traditional central research sites toward remote or participant-home settings. The underlying study examined adoption of decentralised clinical trial methods. Sponsors may adopt DCTs for accessibility, autonomy, real-world applicability, diversity, and patient-centredness rather than only timeline reduction.