Sponsors say direct-to-patient (DTP) distribution of clinical supplies, including investigational drugs, is an important service to offer and nearly two-thirds say it’s essential to successful execution of a clinical trial, according to a new survey, especially as trials become more virtual.

When asked how likely they are to run remote, or home-based, clinical trials that would include remote monitoring of patients through point-of-care devices and testing within the next two to three years, 27 percent of sponsors said between 1 percent and 15 percent of their future studies will be remote, while 25 percent answered that between 15 percent and 30 percent of their studies will be remote. Another 18 percent of respondents said more than 30 percent of their future studies will be remote within that time frame, while 23 percent said they had no plans to run remote studies and 8 percent said they already were.

Catalent and FiercePharma surveyed 234 individuals involved in clinical supply and operations at sponsor companies. Their survey shows sponsors are also more appreciative of the way DTP distribution, often in the form of patient kits, can optimize clinical site operations and improve supply-chain efficiency. Thirty-four percent of sponsors said better inventory management and the ability to pool supplies centrally was the biggest benefit of using a central pharmacy located within the same site as their clinical distribution hub or depot, rather than using a clinical site pharmacist or an off-site central pharmacy to dispense DTP kits. Another 24 percent of respondents said shorter supply chains and fewer handoffs were the most important benefit, while 21 percent said the potential for reducing the number of clinical sites and pharmacists were the biggest perceived gain.

Read the survey here: https://sforce.co/3h8739c.