CANTON TWP.–MMS Holdings, a contract research organization for the pharmaceutical industry, has joined the Decentralized Trials and Research Alliance, an organization launched in December to unite healthcare companies, regulators, patient groups and research organizations to make clinical trial participation widely accessible by advancing policies, research practices, and new technologies in decentralized clinical research.
“As a specialized data services and technologies provider, MMS will help guide the life sciences industry into an exciting future where decentralized trials and research help the world find treatments and cures at a more rapid pace,” said Eric Harvey, director of biostatistics and data science at MMS. “We believe that innovation and growth has a place in every part of our industry, and the proliferation of decentralized clinical trials is set to become one of the biggest changes that we’ve seen in industry in the past decade.”
Added DTRA co-founder Amir Kalali, a life science industry veteran: “We are extremely gratified to welcome MMS to the Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance. By advancing decentralized research we can make the clinical trial process more patient-focused, increase trial efficiency and encourage use of technologies. We are excited by MMS’ commitment to embracing decentralized trials and to changing the culture that has been the rate limiter to innovation.”
Experts estimate that COVID-19 may set back non-pandemic clinical trials by several years due to prospective patients’ inability or reluctance to schedule visits at physical research locations. Decentralized approaches to conducting research facilitate participation by a more diverse patient population and could ease COVID-19-imposed difficulties for both patients and clinical investigators. Inclusion of representative patient populations in clinical trials by race, age and geographic location has long been an operational challenge. COVID-19 has amplified the disparities and inclusion biases that have become hurdles for potential trial participants.
“Now is the time to share ideas and insights that will chart the future course of clinical trials, accelerating drug development and saving lives – and by taking part in the DTRA, MMS is demonstrating its leadership to drive change,” said Craig Lipset, DTRA co-convener, clinical innovation advisor, and a pioneer in decentralized trials. “We have a responsibility to advance the health of people with unmet medical needs, and by convening stakeholders from pharma companies, regulators, technology leaders and patient communities, we can remove remaining barriers to adoption and impact patients today.”
MMS joins with its peer DTRA Member organizations to provide expertise to identify and address gaps and needs and advance best practices through effective education and communication. MMS urges other organizations interested in taking part to visit DTRA.org.
More about MMS at www.mmsholdings.com.