The Beginner's Guide To An Electronic Data Capture (EDC) System

By Ryan Monte, Director of Marketing

If you’re new to electronic data capture (EDC) systems, hopefully after reading this you’ll have a basic understanding of the EDC system and its role in clinical trials.

What is an EDC system?

To put it simply, an Electronic Data Capture (EDC) system is software that stores patient data collected in clinical trials. Data is typically first recorded on paper and is then transcribed into the system and saved in an electronic case report form (eCRF). More and more clinical trials are making the move to EDC software and replacing paper records with electronic records. Sponsors, contract research organizations (CROs), and sites have adopted EDC systems to carry out both simple and complex trials in all phases of research. While there are many EDC vendors, some organizations build their own systems in-house. Most EDC systems offer slightly different features, but in general EDC software is designed to streamline data collection.