-- The annual growth rate of unique procedures per protocol grew 6.5% between 1999 and 2005. -- Clinical trials are taking longer: between 1999-02 and 2003-06, total time from protocol design readiness to database lock rose from 460 to 780 days, or 69.6%. -- Volunteer enrollment rates dropped from 75% in 1999-02 to 59% in 2003- 06, while volunteer retention rates declined from 69% to 48%. -- The work effort required of investigative site personnel to administer clinical study protocols is rising faster than the rate of growth of unique procedures or their frequency per protocol.About the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (http://csdd.tufts.edu) at Tufts University provides strategic information to help drug developers, regulators, and policy makers improve the quality and efficiency of pharmaceutical development, review, and utilization. Tufts CSDD, based in Boston, conducts a wide range of in-depth analyses on pharmaceutical issues and hosts symposia, workshops, and public forums, and publishes the Tufts CSDD Impact Report, a bi-monthly newsletter providing analysis and insight into critical drug development issues.
Contact Information: Contact: Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development Charlene Neu 617-636-2187 Business Communication Strategies Peter Lowy 617-734-9980