Decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) are a modern approach to conducting clinical research that aims to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and participant engagement. These trials leverage technology to collect data remotely, reducing the need for participants to visit traditional clinical trial sites. In DCTs, investigators are at the center of the activities and play a crucial role…

In recent years, the integration of digital technologies into healthcare has revolutionized the way patients manage their health and well-being. These technologies have empowered patients to actively participate in their healthcare journey, providing tools and resources that enable them to monitor their health, access medical information, and communicate with healthcare providers more effectively. From health…

Biomedical research is an important aspect of drug discovery and development programs. This research looks for various interventions and methodologies that help understand the diseases that affect humans and possible ways to prevent and/ or treat them. This field broadly sets up research questions that focus on understanding the mechanisms of human health and disease…

In the past 50 years, South Africa has established a regulating body for medicines that is acknowledged internationally. According to the Medicines Control Council (MCC), it is "the national medicines regulatory authority of South Africa, which is responsible, in accordance with the medicines and related substances act, 1965 (Act 101 of 1965), for providing for…

The declaration of Helsinki provides the ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects and is the guiding document for all biomedical research programs. The World Medical Association (WMA) has developed this statement of ethical principles for the physician to provide the best possible treatment to the patient and always think and act in the interest…

Digital technology has influenced our life greatly in this 21st century. This revolution began somewhere in the mid-20th century and as of today it has revolutionized various aspects of our life. It is therefore no surprise that the healthcare sector is one of the beneficiaries of this digital revolution. In the simplest terms, electronic tools,…

Digital technology can be accessed at fingertips and a boon for a researcher to stay in touch with the participants 24 x 7 using smart devices. The compatibility of the clinical trial digital technology with any of the smartphones makes implementation simple and user friendly. These features of digital clinical trials have caught the attention…

Digital technologies have significantly transformed the landscape of clinical trials, offering a range of tools to improve patient access, enrollment and engagement as well as on time data collection with reduced time lags and thus improving the overall trial management. Some of the key digital technologies commonly used in clinical trials include: Electronic Data…

Pharmacogenomics has triggered research and development in this area of personalized patient care and has resulted in several key industry players investing in it to be a big player for tomorrow. The most important sectors that are influenced by pharmacogenomic studies are the pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare sector.  The regulatory bodies are slowly trying…