Smart Devices, Smarter Research
With wearables, clinical investigation of healthcare begins in this constantly evolving field of smart devices. Besides, advanced sensors, and connection characteristics of such devices have not only improved the methods of observing health but are also revolutionizing the approach to the conduct of the clinical trial by providing continuous and real-time data collection and giving previously unavailable data on patient’s health.
Wearable Technology
Smart devices are quickly gaining popularity during the last ten years with smartwatches, fitness trackers, and healthy patches. Most of these devices can track several aspects of a person’s health such as the heart rate, the amount of physical activity the person is undertaking, the amount of sleep the person is getting and in the case of diabetic the amount of glucose in their blood. They are very important in clinical research because they can get accurate and continuous data.
Improving Data Collection
Earlier clinical research employed structured follow-up visits and self-utilities, which were always scarce and reactionary, or inferiour and tendentious respectively. Traditional weight loss approaches transform this process with the help of Wearables, as they offer linear data at all times. For instance, a smartwatch can track a patient’s heart rate variability all day, which is much richer information than the readings they can get in a clinic visit.
This will enable better assessment of the effectiveness of the treatment that is being offered to patients. For example, in chronic disease treatment, wearables can capture continuously how patients respond to medication so that scientists can observe their responses to the treatment in real life rather than in a clinic setting.
Patient Engagement and Compliance
One of the significant challenges in clinical studies is patient engagement and compliance. Many participants struggle to adhere to protocols, leading to incomplete data and affecting study outcomes. Wearable technology can bridge this gap by making participation in studies more engaging and less burdensome.
Wearables often have apps that gamify the health monitoring experience, making participants more compliant through incentives or progress tracking. For example, a study on physical activity might allow participants to set and track their step goals, which fosters a sense of accomplishment and motivation to adhere to study protocols.
In addition, wearables can remind participants to take medication, make lifestyle changes, or attend future assessments to keep them interested and up-to-date with the entire study period.
Real World Evidence and Remote Monitoring
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the potential of remote monitoring and the need for real-world evidence in clinical research. Wearables are at their best in this domain because they allow researchers to collect data from diverse populations outside traditional clinical settings. This is the only way to understand how treatments work across different demographics and conditions.
For instance, a trial assessing the efficacy of a new drug for diabetes might use wearable devices to collect continuous glucose readings, and thus researchers can collect data from patients’ homes for extended periods. Real-life data may also help reveal how the medication works in real life and how the response differs from one population to another.
Decreasing Costs and Timeframes
Clinical trials are known to be very expensive and time-consuming, requiring several years to complete. Integration with wearable technology can greatly expedite these processes. Continuous data collection allows for quicker assessments of safety and efficacy, which can reduce the duration of the trials.
In addition, monitoring the participants remotely allows researchers to minimize in-person visits, which reduces travel costs and clinic overhead. The benefit is not only that the study saves money but also that rural or underserved participants may now be able to participate in studies that they could not have otherwise due to their geographic or economic position.
Ethical Considerations and Data Security
While wearables hold the promise of clinical research advantages, their application is not without its ethical considerations. The data that is collected and transmitted is health data, which makes data privacy and security key concerns. There is HIPAA in the United States, and GDPR in Europe so caregivers must make sure they do not violate those acts.
This is because the most essential of the principles include informed consent. The participant should have adequate information on the purpose of use of collected data, or those who will use it, and the consequences of the data collected. To achieve such a level of trust and credibility with researchers and participants involved in this new digital health environment, it is prerequisite to be “truthful.”
