Assembling the eClinical Suite: Taking Advantage of the Latest Technology While Avoiding Vendor Lock-Ins

Not all eClinical applications are the same. For one thing, an eTMF, an EDC, and a CTMS all fulfill different functions. Perhaps more importantly, they are all built with varying degrees of complexity. The eTMF and EDC are both relatively simple applications in the IT world. Either can be introduced for a specific study or for a number of studies. If you’re unhappy with your eTMF or EDC applications, you can switch without too much fuss. The CTMS, on the other hand, is highly complex. It is the nerve center of the eClinical suite and is highly integrated with other software. It can be expensive to introduce, and its normal lifespan is more than 13 years. Therefore, once you install a CTMS, you will be committed for well over a decade. That’s why it is so important to choose your CTMS carefully and be armed with the best knowledge in order to do so. Which CTMS concept will be most functional: one where the entire eClinical suite comes from the same vendor or one where individual components are sourced from different vendors?