Since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, the buzz around artificial intelligence has been impossible to ignore. From advertisements during the SuperBowl to webinars and working groups, the impact of artificial intelligence has been felt in almost every sector of our world.

But, what if we told you the most transformative shift is still on the horizon?

When ChatGPT first released it changed the way the world, including clinical research, worked. Now NVIDIA, one of the most premier companies leading the way in the development of AI, has stated that they expect the development of Agentic AI, a new type of artificial intelligence to “change the way we work in ways that parallel how different work became with the arrival of the internet.” 

This means agentic AI may have a much bigger impact than even generative AI did years back. 

So, if you’re curious about agentic AI, read on as we delve into its nature, differentiate it from generative AI, and reveal its transformative role in clinical research."

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With MarketsandMarkets projecting the global electronic Clinical Outcome Assessments (eCOA) solutions market to grow at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1% each year until 2030, it’s clear the eCOA has made its impact within the clinical research landscape. 

Yet despite growing adoption, electronic Clinical Outcome Assessments (eCOA) are still surrounded by misconceptions that hinder their full potential. From concerns about patient usability to assumptions about cost and implementation timelines, these myths can create hesitation among sponsors and research teams alike.

Thus, we’re here to cut through the noise and set the record straight with a summary of a recent webinar featuring speakers from Transcelerate and Medable. 

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What is eCOA?

As FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a 2015 Clinical Outcome Assessment Public Workshop, “It turns out that what is really bothering the patient and what is really bothering the doctor can be radically different things...patients are true experts in their disease.”

Clinical outcome assessments (COAs) have been key to capturing a comprehensive picture of patient experiences and treatment outcomes in today’s research landscape for decades. Integrating COAs into trial protocols bolsters our treatments' scientific integrity and enhances our ability to understand the real impact of interventions on patients. 

COAs (called eCOAs when captured electronically) are essential to understanding whether a drug reduces symptoms, improves patients’ quality of life, and improves their ability to perform activities they care about. 

Since the mid-2010s, electronic clinical solutions, like eCOA, have rapidly replaced their paper counterparts. Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessments comprise systematized digital methods for capturing patient-centered outcomes in clinical trials. These systems utilize validated electronic interfaces to collect, store, and analyze patient-reported data, clinician observations, and performance metrics.

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