Every year, medical experts and pharmaceutical companies develop new medications and treatment options for various ailments. Before these medicines can be released to the mass market, they must undergo rigorous testing during clinical trials. Clinical trials test the safety and efficacy of drugs in people from different demographics. To perform these trials, pharmaceutical companies need reliable medical software to record and secure the data but also to track activities at each phase.
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During this process, medical experts note the side effects of the new medications and adjust the dosage as needed. The government drug administration regulatory body audits clinical trials in the countries where they take place. These audits depend on the data stored on the medical software, and they usually take place after every phase of the clinical trial.
Phases of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials usually occur in the phases listed below:
Phase one
During this phase, drug companies test their new medication on a small group of people, usually 10 to 20 people. The aim is to ensure that a low dose of the medicine is not harmful.
Phase two
This phase aims to find the optimal dose of the treatment and the side effects on the body upon consumption. The participant size is between 20 to 50 people.
Phase three
In this phase, medical experts verify the efficacy of the optimal dosage found in phase two and further investigate the side effects of the medication. The participants in this phase range between 50 and 100 people.
Phase four
Once the medication is proven effective, medical experts will compare it to existing treatments for the same ailment or a placebo. This phase usually has hundreds or thousands of participants. During this phase, the pharmaceutical company producing the drug will also seek government approval to sell it to the mass market.
Phase five
After drug approval and sales to the mass market, the pharmaceutical company will continue to monitor its consumption to observe long-term side effects.
Each phase of clinical trials generates huge volumes of data because of the numerous participants. It is worth noting that every company has its unique method of operation, so there might not exist medical software suited to their unique needs. This is why companies like AROBS develop custom medical software that can be configured with features that will make pharmaceutical companies conduct their trials efficiently.
Features of Medical Software
Pharmaceutical companies often customize their medical software to their unique needs. Nevertheless, some features are commonly found in most medical software used for clinical trials. They are listed below:
- Electronic health records
- Financial management
- Reporting and analytics
- Inventory management
- Payroll
- Medical CRM
- Telehealth
Endnote
Medical software is a crucial asset for pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials because it helps them keep track of the participants’ performance and health status. They also use it to record medical data that will be audited by the appropriate government regulatory body before approving the medication being developed. This software can be customized to fit the medical needs at hand, making it more useful.
