2nd DECENTRALIZED & HYBRID CLINICAL TRIALS WORLD CONGRESS 2026 EUROPE
Patient-centric approach to Decentralized & Hybrid Trials: Understanding the changing landscape, the trends, challenges, and opportunities for a successful implementation.
London, United Kingdom
Day 2 - Thursday 26th February 2026
PATIENT ENGAGEMENT & COLLABORATIONS
- Transformative potential of decentralized clinical trials in addressing the limitations of traditional randomized controlled trials
- Utilizing remote digital technologies and community providers to enable broader, more inclusive participation
- Potential of DCTs for democratizing clinical research
- Research needed to devise standardized protocols to streamline DCT processes, explore its long-term
impacts on patient outcomes, and overcome challenges through equitable stakeholder engagement.
- The aim of decentralised trials in patient centricity, enhanced efficacy in clinical trial conduct and generating real-world data
- Finding what is a true patient-centric approach and understanding what patients really want
- Incorporating patient voice in designing clinical trials
- How does DCT and Hybrid trials overcome hurdles in recruitment and retention
- Key elements that need to be in place in a DCT setting to ensure good levels of patient retention.
- Incorporating DCT elements into hybrid models
- Explore the role of DCTs in offering flexible options for the patient
- Addressing disparity in clinical trial representation
- Opportunities for DCT approaches to improve inclusivity
- Challenges and opportunities for researchers to adopt and adapt DCT approaches
- Factors enhancing the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable populations in trials
- Clinical trial strategy planning in the new era of digital health
- Cost drivers of potential cost savings
- Sponsor cost and budget considerations
- Budget trends in DCTs and virtual clinical trials
- Importance of strong relationship with sit and site network critical to the success of clinical trials
- Strategies sponsors can develop to build strong site relationships at scale.
- Key factors that are highly valued by both Contract Research Organisations (CROs) and Sponsors.
- Future directions for improving relationships with sites and site networks.
The Future of Real-World Evidence
- Remote method of trial delivery
- Open access toolkit of resources and guidance for researchers to support the transition to remote delivery
- Expanding UK capabilities in decentralized trial delivery
- Decentralized clinical trials: case studies
- Addressing structural barriers and how we get improved access to clinical trials
- Impact of incorporating decentralized elements into clinical trials on data integrity, patient safety, and regulatory approvals.
- Additional initiatives aiming to extend access and inclusion in clinical trials
- Fostering partnerships to increase patient and local clinician access to the clinical trials
3:30 pm - FIRESIDE CHAT: Recognising, Preparing, and Enabling Patient Co-Creation In Clinical Trials
- Practical applications of how to implement meaningful and consistent Patient Engagement
- The value of co-creating a clinical outcome assessment strategy for clinical trial research
- Next step toward delivering the best possible research experience for patients by co-creating studies with patients.
- Challenges facing the adoption of decentralized trials
- Approaches for decentralized trials as well as key performance indicators
- Best practices that reduce risk and improve the execution of decentralized clinical trials
- Availability of educational resources for all stakeholders and advance a supportive culture and environment to increase uptake of decentralized research
- Recognise remaining barriers to the global conduct of decentralized trials and map route to resolution
Moderator:
Panelists: