• Cho Ee Ng, Sarah Bowman, Jonathan Ling, Rachael Bagshaw, Angela Birt, and Yan Yiannakou.
• Durham Bowel Service, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Durham, DH1 5TW, UK.
• Br. Med. Bull. 2023 Dec 11; 148 (1): 425742-57.

IntroductionParticipant recruitment to clinical trials is often sub-optimal. Decentralized clinical trials have the potential to address challenges in traditional site-based clinical trial recruitment.Sources Of DataThis review is based on recently published literature and the experience of running a large industry-sponsored interventional trial using both traditional and decentralized methods.Areas Of AgreementEfficient delivery of clinical trials is essential to continue to provide therapeutic improvements in a timely and cost-efficient way. Clinical trial designs are constantly evolving to achieve effective trial delivery, manage the complexity of new therapeutic algorithms and conform to cultural developments.Areas Of ControversyDigitally innovative decentralized clinical trials may be a solution to improve recruitment and retention. Although many trials incorporate digital innovations to reduce patient burden, decentralized clinical trials allow remote access to clinical research, potentially enhancing geographical diversity as well as reducing participant burden.Growing PointsAreas for development currently being discussed are developing a 'recruitment platform' that exploits the reach of digital connectivity, automated identification of eligible participants from volunteers, employing technology for remote interaction and exploring the logistic process of delivering the interventions.Areas Timely For Relevant ResearchThe focus of development must ensure that the overall impact will widen participation and reduce inequalities in healthcare.© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

7 keywords...

hide…