In the industry of clinical research, we are accustomed to working with conservative companies that make decisions slowly. Look at the adoption of EDC – over how many decades now? Understandable, at least to a point.
I’ve been in my new role at Phesi for 2 weeks now, and I am witnessing a refreshing change. Artificial intelligence started to sneak into clinical research around 15 years ago. Seems like yesterday… But, AI has only surfaced from the shadows in the past 5-10 years. Watson went commercial around 2013. And today AI is being used more and more in our industry. Perhaps the industry is becoming more agile and quicker to adopt new ways of doing things. That’s probably part of it, but I think AI is an easier pill to swallow than going from paper to e-forms, for example, and probably for good reason.
AI, added as a data-driven decision enhancing tool in clinical research is of extreme high value, especially when compared to tech-counterparts like EDC, RIM, CTMS, etc. It’s also low risk: if it’s the right data, and the data is accurate, the results of advanced analytic methods consistently deliver sound, sometimes profound results. The results are not always 100% spot-on all the time, but they are as close as you will get.
AI doesn’t happen in a vacuum either. Human discernment is a pre-requisite and a constant requirement, from setting up the analytic plan to interpreting and using the results. AI is a great fit for clinical research, from one end of a compound’s research cycle to the other.
Two weeks into my new role at Phesi, I have witnessed confirmation to all of this. One new client made definitive decisions about their site plan based on Phesi’s analysis and the ClinSite™, platform and commented: “This will blow the socks off my CEO!”.
It’s true – Phesi’s services and our new intelligent site analysis tool, ClinSite™, are truly disruptive in this space, and likely will blow the socks off anyone having worked in clinical trials for a length of time.
It is invigorating and inspiring to be speaking with new potential clients and see them go through an easy decision-making process to move forward with a project.
The evidence is showing that when it comes to evaluating Phesi’s services and products, clients can quickly see and realize the benefit and value. If the landscape around your research program is competitive you probably can’t afford not to leverage the power of AI. Another reason for faster than normal adoption.
Finally, an added benefit of leveraging big data and adopting AI in your clinical research programs – the more you do it, the better it gets. And, the creative thinkers will continue to find new ways of using these powerful analytic methods.
Disruptive? Yes!