-- ObvioHealth recently published a post on its blog detailing different strategies for supporting clinical trials for older adults. The post mentions how older adults are underrepresented in clinical trials, which has drawn widespread criticism from the scientific and healthcare communities. The post also mentions how decentralized trials (DCTs) allow for a higher intake of participants from older generations.
Despite the huge opportunity that Decentralized Clinical Trials provide, the industry hasn’t yet fully begun to embrace the inclusion of the older population within clinical trials, owing in part to the assumption that senior citizens will not, or simply cannot; learn to use the technology that is required in order to participate in a virtual clinical trial.
However, a growing body of evidence suggests that seniors are now beginning to defy this stereotype. Many studies have indicated that the older population is not only receptive to virtual forms of clinical trials, but also highly engaged in them. The studies that Obvio’s post discusses also reveal best practices to help increase senior engagement to ultimately benefit everyone involved—from sponsor to patient.
It’s very important to note that seniors lead tremendously diverse lifestyles with varying health statuses and an individual’s level of engagement with healthcare providers can affect or even hinder a clinical trial. Moreover, the process of aging affects individuals differently. WHO notes that “these changes are neither linear nor consistent, and they are only loosely correlated with an individual’s age in years.” Some 70 year olds are in excellent health while others are frail and in need of significant help.
Despite the diversity amongst seniors, the industry paints this group with broad brushstrokes, and avoids the 65+ age group with its exclusion criteria. Data however, shows that these limitations should be reconsidered.
To see more posts from ObvioHealth, please see the following URL: https://www.obviohealth.com/
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