Actigraphy Advances A Patient-First Approach: Reduce Patient Burden — And Make The Most Of Valuable Data

In drug development, prioritizing patient needs over purely scientific goals is becoming increasingly recognized as crucial for success. At Parexel, this shift is underscored by the FDA's focus on patient-guided drug development through recent guidance. Integrating patient perspectives involves employing technologies like actigraphy, which offers continuous monitoring of activities, heart rate, mobility, and sleep patterns beyond clinical settings. This data, combined with patient-reported outcomes and lab samples, provides comprehensive insights into treatment impacts, aiding future research and development.

Actigraphy's utility in clinical trials is growing, with over half of pharmaceutical companies already utilizing activity trackers and more planning to adopt them soon. Despite the benefits, choosing medical-grade devices over commercial ones is vital for data accuracy and regulatory compliance. Clear protocols and strategic planning ensure that actigraphy enhances endpoint assessments effectively, supporting submissions and potentially influencing regulatory frameworks.

As actigraphy continues to advance, explore how improvements in device comfort and usability will enhance patient compliance, further optimizing its pivotal role in clinical research across various therapeutic domains.