New patient trial map will accelerate drug studies in EU, says EMA
European regulators say a new study identification tool for patients and healthcare professionals, launched as part of the clinical trial information system (CTIS), will accelerate the conduct of clinical trials in the EU.
The tool – called a trial map – is designed to provide access to real-time information about clinical trials, with users able to search by both medical condition and geographic location. The system also provides users with study investigator’s contact details.
An EMA spokesperson told Clinical Insider, “Patients who find trials of interest are encouraged to discuss their options with their healthcare professionals. The map provides contact information for each clinical trial site, enabling healthcare professionals to inquire about patient enrolment.
He added, “By ensuring public access to accurate information, the map facilitates recruitment and accelerates the conduct of clinical trials in Europe.”
The clinical trial sector – both trial sponsors and services firms – will play a role in ensuring that the information provided through the map is accurate, according to the EMA spokesperson.
“Sponsors of clinical trials and contract research organizations (CROs) play a crucial role in maintaining the accuracy of public information by keeping CTIS up to date.
“This is in compliance with articles 36, 37, and 38 of the Clinical Trials Regulation and is particularly important with regard to the recruiting status and contact details of investigators,” he said.
Development of the map is part of the EMA’s Accelerating Clinical Trials in the European Union (ACT EU) initiative, and the launch follows just weeks after the CTIS became fully operational after a three-year roll out.
Trial recruitment
Accelerating clinical trials – and specifically patient recruitment – is a major focus for the sector.
In October 2024, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, a pharmaceutical industry group, suggested that slow trial sign-up was making the EU less attractive for trial drugs trials than the US.
“The loss of share to [the] US could be driven by trial start-up timelines. This research suggests regulatory approval timelines are not the greatest differential between US and Europe, but instead, patient recruitment times in Europe may be impacting the attractiveness of Europe as a trial location. This is a multifaceted issue, but [a lack of] data access to enable patient-finding in niche populations could be restricting recruitment speed.”
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