Going Mobile: How Mobile Technology is Evolving in Clinical Trials

It is estimated that mobile penetration now stands at 96% globally (see figure 1), with significant growth in subscriptions in the developing world in recent years, increasing from 69% of the population in 2011 to 89% in 2013.^1,2 As access to devices expands across the globe, the use of mobile technology in all walks of life has become commonplace. As a result, mobile communication has been leveraged to provide information and access to services across multiple industries, from simple applications such as checking train timetables to mobile banking with secure access to personal information in a highly regulated industry. Clinical research is no exception to this trend and indeed the pharmaceutical industry has seen an increasing movement to leverage mobile technology to engage with patients and collect their data during clinical trials.