Blockchain. Maybe the hottest word to enter the tech lexicon in the past decade. Aside from being a somewhat confusing concept for those who don’t interact with the technology on a regular basis, it has introduced an entirely new world of how individuals interact with and access information, data and resources across the world. While most of us have a peripheral knowledge of blockchain in terms of crypto and read news articles about the newest way to own and participate in financial markets, the implications of using blockchain technology in the healthcare space is much more niche and entirely more interesting, specifically in clinical trials.  

The burden of chronic disease in the US is an issue familiar to anyone working in healthcare. With more than half of all Americans suffering from a chronic disease, and nearly 3 trillion dollars of associated economic burden, it is a problem of epic proportions that needs and deserves our attention.

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have been, and continue to be, far-reaching. The mass shift to remote learning and work-from-home arrangements led to reduced in-person interactions and increased demand for virtual technologies....

Innovative technology continues to push the frontier of both reality and imagination. With companies, such as Meta (fomerly Facebook), Amazon, and other recognizable brands, pouring billions into development of augmented reality (AR) for consumerism, the healthcare sector continues to evolve in parallel.

As the world grows increasingly digital, moving patient engagement in clinical trials to a more comprehensive virtual experience is becoming an increasingly important perspective. Digital engagement with patients impacts not only longevity for participation, but also the quality of data collected as well as portions of critical infrastructure, such as supply change management. Leading pharma, medical device, and data companies are finding that digital health tools within clinical trials are becoming vital component for success. HITLAB’s panel featuring senior leadership of Information Mediary Corp (IMC), Medidata, and Merk, highlighted how digital technologies benefit both patients as well as internal operations for clinical trials.