What is IWRS in clinical research?

IWRS, IVRS, and IRT systems are an important part of the clinical research process, as they are used to manage patient enrollment, randomization, drug supply, reporting, and more during clinical trials.

Interactive Response Technology (IRT) is an umbrella term that refers to both Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRS) and Interactive Web Response Systems (IWRS). Below, we’ll go into detail about what these systems are and how they can be used to streamline a research study.

The difference between IVRS and IWRS for research studies

While IVRS and IWRS are often used interchangeably, they refer to different systems. Before internet connections were commonplace, IVRS would allow site administrators to interact with a database by pressing keypad buttons on a phone. Once the internet became ubiquitous, most IVRS were upgraded to IWRS, and site administrators now use computer prompts to input data. In addition to the ease of use, a major benefit of IWRS is that they can integrate automatically with other systems and can be used remotely from any location. Most sites are using IWRS today, but many people still use the term IVRS colloquially.

What are IWRS and IVRS used for in clinical research?

Whether using an IVRS or an IWRS, any type of IRT can be beneficial to clinical research. Both of these types of systems can be used for:

Patient management, both for registering new patients and randomizing them into a trial. 

Supply chain management, to more effectively control the inventory of the study drug and manage complex dispensing protocols. Some newer systems also include algorithms that can predict when a site may run low on a study drug.

Documentation and reporting, with automated system reports that allow study managers to easily access real-time information about a trial.

Integration with other systems, such as a clinical trial management system, Electronic Data Capture (EDC) system, and more.

Managing patient randomization and the study drug supply chain are just part of the clinical trial recruitment process. If you’re struggling to find patients who are the right fit for your trial, learn how Antidote can help.