Interactive Response Technology
The generic term Interactive Response Technology (IRT) originally summarized technologies that optimized the availability of medications during clinical studies at the test centers. In the meantime, other areas of application such as B. the update of the expiration date of a medication or the early detection of the assignment of patients to the individual study groups ( "unblinding" ) during an ongoing clinical study.
introduction
Interactive Response Technology (IRT) systems have been used in the planning of clinical studies for approx. 12-15 years and represent a way of efficiently designing the supply of study participants at the study centers using test medication. A distinction is made between interactive voice response systems (IVRS) based on interactions via telephone and interactive web response systems (IWRS) - web-based systems - with the latter increasingly coming to the fore. IRTs are used for randomization in a clinical study, but also to generate easily accessible reports and patient diaries during clinical studies. Patients can be automatically assigned to new groups during two phases of a clinical study using IRT. Also adaptive clinical trials can be planned in more detail by the IRT.
The path of the medication in the supply chain (engl. Supply Chain ) can be followed exactly using IRT. So z. B. Exceeding temperatures during shipping as well as errors during storage at the study center can be monitored by means of IRT.
Interactive Voice Response Systems
In speech dialogue systems (engl. Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) ), the caller dials a specific number, and is connected to the dialog system, which continues partially automated or fully automated him. These systems are already well established in other IT areas such as handling customer calls at large companies' call centers. Pre-recorded instructions guide the caller through the system, whereby the caller can select certain options offered by pressing the corresponding number on the telephone and is thus forwarded. When the data entry is complete, the caller is assigned a reference number for future interactions. IVRS can e.g. B. used to control the distribution of test medications to study centers as required. Advantages include the simplification of work processes and thus time and cost savings, as well as the lower susceptibility to errors.
Interactive Web Response Systems
In the case of interactive web-based dialog systems ( Interactive Web Response Systems (IWRS) ), the web browser and e-mail services form the basis for the exchange with the system. This system offers similar possibilities as IVRS, but more details can be reproduced.
Supplier of IRT systems
The global market value of IRT offers in 2009 was US $ 250 million, with growth rates of around 15% being achieved. Major providers of IRT systems include, 4G Clinical, DDi, Oracle Health Sciences, DDi (Drug Development Informatics), BioClinica, eResearch Technology, Inc., Clinipace Worldwide, SAS Institute, Inc., MedidataSolutions, Datatrak International, Inc. and Parexel International Corporation.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Reflection paper on the use of interactive response technologies (interactive voice / web response systems) in clinical trials, with particular emphasis on the handling of expiry dates. (PDF) Retrieved June 4, 2014 .
- ↑ a b c d Virtually there: the power of IRT. World Pharma, accessed June 4, 2014 .
- ↑ Interactive Response Technologies for IP Temperature Excursions. PharmTech, accessed June 4, 2014 .
- ^ Using Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system for Clinical Trials. ivrs development, accessed June 5, 2014 .
- ↑ Clinitec IVRS / IWRS. clinitec development, accessed on June 5, 2014 .
- ↑ Phase Forward buys Covance unit for $ 10m. Pharmafile, accessed June 4, 2014 .
- ^ E-Clinical Trial Solutions Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013-2019. Transparency Market Research, accessed June 4, 2014 .