Pfizer Selects Exco InTouch to Enhance Patient Communication in Clinical Trials
 |
|---|
| Pfizer is using Exco InTouch\'s ATLAS text messaging technology for patient communication in clinical trials in its Phase I clinics |
2008-12-03 23:10:31 -
Pfizer Selects Exco InTouch to Enhance Patient Communication in Clinical Trials
(3 December, 2008) Exco InTouch, the leading mobile messaging provider for the pharmaceutical industry, announces that its text messaging technology ATLAS™ has been selected by Pfizer, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies to enhance the efficacy of its patient recruitment and retention in Phase I clinical trials. Exco InTouch's integrated system will enable Pfizer to quickly identify, contact and assess relevant patients and maintain patient communication throughout the life of its trials across Belgium, Singapore and the US. Traditional methods of patient recruitment such as letter-based processes can often be time-consuming, costly and sometimes ineffective. Text message-based methods are quick and non-intrusive, offering healthcare providers a simple, cost-effective and direct-to-patient system of communication.
ATLAS from Exco InTouch is a unique, regulatory compliant system used to send text messages to any mobile phone. ATLAS can be integrated with a wide range of existing healthcare management systems and is already used in a wide range of Phase I clinics to create regulatory compliant messaging services for patient recruitment. Pfizer specifically required a solution that could be fully integrated with its own volunteer database, allowing immediate text message-based communication with selected patients and enabling fast assessment of a potential subject's availability via text message. With the integrated text messaging system from Exco InTouch, Pfizer is able to promptly send alerts from a range of text message templates to the recipient via their own mobile phone (for example 'Text YES to 54321 to participate.') Patients' responses are then sent directly to Pfizer's system, allowing recruitment staff to make immediate decisions regarding a patient's eligibility to participate in a study.
This fully integrated system developed by Exco InTouch also offers benefits for patients already enrolled on studies, as the system enables investigators to send protocol-specific questions, events or reminders to patients using ATLAS. Text messaging technology for sponsor/patient interaction has been proven to significantly improve patient compliance and retention throughout the life of a clinical study. In addition, ATLAS also provides Pfizer with a complete audit trail by tracking the delivery of text messages with receipts which are sent directly back into the system, which enables compliance with FDA 21 CFR part 11 audit trail requirements.
Exco InTouch offers a novel way to improve patient selection for clinical trials as well as retaining subjects throughout the study. This low-technology solution utilises a powerful yet simple system to provide a reliable approach to improve patient recruitment in the pharmaceutical industry. The success of this close collaboration reflects Exco InTouch's ability to assist companies to streamline clinical trials and offer significant productivity gains.
For further information on this collaboration and the Exco InTouch portfolio of solutions, please call +44 1279 408 210 or +1 949 725 2946 or alternatively please visit www.excointouch.com
For further information on Pfizer, please visit www.pfizer.co.uk
-ENDS-
For further press information please contact: Eleanor CallanMonk, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire CW4 8AA Tel: +44 1477 539539 Fax: +44 1477 539540 e-mail: exco@scottpr.com
About Exco InTouch
Exco InTouch is the leading provider of interactive patient communication solutions using internet and cell phone technology. Using a combination of software and services, Exco InTouch offers BioPharma sponsors, CROs and patient recruitment agencies the opportunity to improve patient recruitment, retention and compliance using timely notifications, alerts and two-way messages.
Additionally, Exco collects electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO) and diary data using standard cell phone technology which is both cost effective for sponsors and extremely easy and convenient for trial subjects. These solutions are currently being used by hundreds of thousands of patients in over 70 countries, delivered in the local language and are fully compliant with HIPAA regulations, FDA CFR 21 Part 11 and all electronic communication privacy directives.
