e-Consent in UK academic-led clinical trials
Current practice, challenges and the need for more evidence
E. J. Mitchell, D. Appelbe, A. Bravery, L. Culliford, H. Evans, A. J. Farrin, K. Gillies, K. Hood, S. B. Love, M. R. Sydes, P. R. Williamson, N. Wakefield & as part of the e-Consent collaborative group
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person healthcare visits were reduced. Consequently, trial teams needed to consider implementing remote methods for conducting clinical trials, including e-Consent. Although some clinical trials may have implemented e-Consent prior to the pandemic, anecdotes of uptake for this method increased within academic-led trials. When the increased use of this process emerged, representatives from several large academic clinical trial groups within the UK collaborated to discuss ways in which trialists can learn from one another when implementing e-Consent.