News By: Emily Norris

Independent investigators play a vital role in advancing translational "bench to bedside" research to improve human health. Setting up an investigator-initiated research program (IIRP) can encourage and support these investigators while fostering an institution’s high-quality research and compliance.  

Historically, the vital task of assigning study coordinators to clinical trials has relied on a research leader’s experience and intuition. The realities of today’s challenging studies—with increasing complexity and tightening budgets—demand an accurate assessment of the level of support required for each trial. This is an essential step in maintaining quality while avoiding staff burnout.  

In this season of wish lists and resolutions, moving seamlessly cross-communicative clinical trials technologies that can be utilized across sites and sponsors on an ongoing basis from the “nice to have” category into the “must-have” one doesn’t have to be dismissed as a miracle that will never see the light of day, an industry observer of trends in technology says. 

​​Many current trends in clinical research will likely continue regardless of the upcoming change in administration. The need to incorporate​ technology into our clinical trials processes, alongside a continued emphasis on the power of ​AI​, will remain a priority for both FDA and the government in 2025. The agency has repeatedly emphasized a need to move away from paper-based data collection in favor of remote access and more streamlined study processes--all aimed at the larger goal of making trials faster and more cost-efficient. ​​     ​​​