[Public clinical trials: which kind of monitoring should be used?]
Catherine Cornu1, Christine Binquet, Claire Thalamas
1Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Lyon, France. catherine.cornu@chu-lyon.fr
Objective:
Sponsors must take responsibility for the quality of trials at the best possible cost. Our objective was to describe the most frequent quality failures, how they impact trial results, and identify the most efficient monitoring strategies using published articles and reports.
Results:
Errors affecting clinical trials include conception, procedures, data management, and data analysis. The consequences are usually an overestimation of the treatment effect. No study shows that monitoring reduces the risk of errors, and there is no comparison of monitoring methods. Many research organisations advocate for monitoring based on risk analysis and recommend an extensive use of centralised monitoring.
Conclusions:
Trial quality depends on trial conception and design. Study conduct should guarantee a maximum level of quality level. This should be done using risk management and extensive centralised monitoring.
Insights
Sponsors must ensure clinical trial quality by addressing common errors in design and conduct. Risk management and centralized monitoring are key strategies for improving trial outcomes and efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Trial Management
- Quality Assurance in Research
- Regulatory Science
Context:
- Ensuring the quality of clinical trials is a critical responsibility for sponsors, balancing cost-effectiveness with scientific integrity.
- Published literature and reports highlight frequent quality failures across various trial phases, from conception to data analysis.
Purpose:
- To identify common quality failures in clinical trials.
- To understand the impact of these failures on trial results, particularly the overestimation of treatment effects.
- To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of different monitoring strategies.
Summary:
- Frequent errors in clinical trial conception, procedures, data management, and analysis often lead to an overestimation of treatment effects.
- Current evidence does not definitively prove that monitoring reduces error risk or offer comparisons between monitoring methods.
- Risk-based monitoring and extensive centralized monitoring are recommended by many research organizations.
Impact:
- Improved trial quality through robust design and conduct is essential for reliable results.
- Implementing risk management strategies and centralized monitoring can enhance study integrity.
- Focusing on quality control proactively mitigates risks and potentially reduces overall trial costs.
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