Experiences with low-intervention clinical trials—the new category under the European Union Clinical Trials Regulation

Abstract

Background/Aims: Low-intervention clinical trials have been established under the European Union Clinical Trials Regulation (EU 536/2014) which aims to simplify the conduct of clinical trials with authorized medicinal products. There is limited experience with conducting low-intervention trials. Therefore, this study aims to report on experiences and perceived (dis)advantages of low-intervention trials. Methods: We surveyed representatives of all individual clinical trials registered on the public website of the European Union Clinical Trials Information System between 31 January 2022 and 1 December 2023 that evaluated authorized investigational medicinal products and had at least one investigative site in the European Union. These representatives were approached between June 2023 and January 2024. Results: We received 70 responses (response rate 21%). Of the respondents, 31 represented a trial registered as low-intervention trial, and 39 represented a trial not registered as a low-intervention trial (hereafter “regular trials”). Simplified clinical trial monitoring and an easier regulatory approval process were perceived as the main advantages of low-intervention trials, with respectively 44% and 34% of the respondents indicating this to be an advantage in low-intervention trials. However, the respondents experienced that stringent and unclear regulatory requirements impeded the conduct of low-intervention trials. Respondents involved with regular trials indicated that 39% of the regular trials met the criteria of a low-intervention trial but were not registered as such, among others due to unfamiliarity with this trial category. Conclusions: We argue that the simplified procedures for low-intervention trials should be more detailed—for example in regulatory guidance—in the future to further simplify the conduct of clinical trials with authorized investigational medicinal products.