Many clinical research sites and sponsors are accepting new paperless processes in light of the novel COVID-19 crisis. With the inevitable switch to paperless clinical trial systems, one can hope that the same industry guidelines are equally enforced.
With any process, there are rules; the clinical research process is no different with most prescription drugs taking years to hit the market. Each part of the research process involves a multitude of regulatory guidelines that ensure the safety, security, and ethical standards of clinical trial data. Let’s cover the main checkpoints that certify your clinical trial systems’ compliance.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) is an EU law that enforces data protection and privacy in the European Union and the European Economic Area. It addresses the outbound transfer of personal data to other countries. Your clinical trial software should enforce GDPR guidelines if you are conducting trials or transferring data from the EU and EEA areas.
FDA CFR Part-11
Essentially, 21 CFR Part 11 regulations define the criteria under which electronic records and electronic signatures are considered trustworthy, reliable, and equivalent to paper records. This guideline allows companies to replace any paper record or hand-written signature with an electronic record/signature. The truth is every investigator’s site already has electronic records, but most companies are so unsure of Part 11 compliance that they resort to printing paper in fear of being non-compliant with regulations. Ensuring your clinical trial software meets this standard is crucial.
HIPAA Compliant
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) safeguards electronic protected health information (ePHI). This is important for clinical researchers as it establishes the circumstances in which they can disclose ePHI. Your clinical trial systems should unquestionably safeguard ePHI.
Are your clinical trial systems compliant?
Now that you understand the significance of compliance in your clinical trial systems, it might be time to ask: Are your clinical trial systems compliant?
RealTime-eSOURCE and RealTime-eDOCS offer exemplary built-in parameters that enforce these compliance standards. Each solution exhibits GDPR, FDA Part-11 HIPAA Compliance measures that allows you the freedom to conduct research remotely while having peace of mind.
So, are you ready to start your clinical research compliance journey? Get started by scheduling a free demo with a RealTime expert! Call us at 210-852-4310 or fill out the form below!
