Passing the Stress Test: Clinical Trials Day 2023
In honor of Clinical Trials, day we’d like to take a moment to reflect on not only one of the most outstanding moments in the history of clinical trials, but in the broader field of science. The engine, that is the industry of clinical research, is one that has been built slowly, over many years, driven by the common human need for effective, affordable, and innovative healthcare. But, never was it tasked to a singular objective in the way it was when the world was struck by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Once we successfully rallied around this shared objective, every aspect of the system, from regulatory bodies to doctors in clinics worldwide, underwent a process of reorganization and optimization to address a global issue with an unprecedented speed, surpassing any previous scientific practices. We, sometimes, hear the Pandemic referred to as a ‘stress test’ on our medical systems. What we hear less often, is that it was a ‘stress test’ on our medical research systems, and, that we passed this test with flying colors.
Our system, one that had been seen for many years as cumbersome and deliberate in its moves and decisions, bent some of its rules for the first time since establishing them. The public-private partnership that enabled the fast-tracking of novel COVID vaccines, revealed that when our industry is tasked with a global mandate for the good of the Public, it is up to the challenge. We can move quickly, and we can adapt.
The Pandemic forced us to change. It is the reason why we’re exploring decentralized medicine and it’s applications in clinical research with renewed earnest now. It pushed many trials to adapt to the modern practices of remote monitoring and to better leverage supporting technologies and the advantages they can provide. At the end of it all, the whole world was mobilized. We have new clinical research hubs expanding all over the world, many of which were stimulated by funding provided by the need for expansive, and inclusive patient bodies for COVID-19 research. It left us with a better understanding of the value and the necessity of diversity in medicine, and the ways in which we can better focus our efforts on the experience of patients all over the world.
This blog post is a heartfelt acknowledgement to all those who played a vital role in expediting the development of COVID vaccines within a year. It is also a resounding tribute to the industry as a whole. The pandemic demonstrated that when there is a collective determination to address a pressing issue promptly, our existing system can effectively and securely meet that demand. On behalf of Fountayn, thank you to everyone involved, from the doctor’s clinic to the FDA, for continually developing new therapies to improve human health, and for always keeping the patient top of mind.