New research from Oracle Health Services in partnership with Informa Engage/Pharma Intelligence has revealed that more than 60% of drug safety experts are planning to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the speed and security of adverse event case processing.
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“Safety teams are under immense pressure to work quickly and accurately, but their biggest concerns are patient safety and the protection of their data,” explained Andrea Charles, editor, Custom Content, Informa Pharma Intelligence. “They need a robust approach to pharmacovigilance that allows them to work faster while maintaining a high standard of accuracy and security, which is why they are replacing and enhancing their systems with advanced technologies that are fit for the job.”
The findings of the research revealed that drug safety teams are exploring the potential of technologies such as AI to help them identify risks early and to manage them effectively in a pharmacovigilance landscape involving more complex regulations. More than a quarter of respondents (27%) stated that they have already (or are planning to) implement AI for quality assurance, 23% have already (or are planning to) implement AI for follow up processing and 19% have already (or are planning to) implement AI for faster reporting.
Additionally, the research highlighted that there is an industry-wide shift towards cloud-based systems to improve security. Nearly 60% of participants stated that they already have safety solutions in the cloud or are planning to move to a cloud-based platform within two years.
“With the increase in adverse events reported, and the flat growth in resources to manage safety case processing, pharmacovigilance teams are under extreme pressure to do more with less,” asserted Bruce Palsulich, VP of safety product strategy for Oracle Health Sciences. “Fortunately, adverse event processing is becoming faster and smarter with the help of AI and the cloud. Both technologies are helping drug safety experts to improve quality and accuracy in the handling of the data they work with, and drive down their reporting costs. The time is ripe for wider adoption, and it’s encouraging to see the industry embrace new ways of working that will benefit them and the public.”
This study included 345 professionals at director level and above from regulatory affairs, risk management, pharmacovigilance and adverse event case reporting sections of pharmaceutical companies, CROs and sponsors from global locations. Out of the 345 respondents, 153 were personally involved in pharmacovigilance for their organisations, and as such qualified for participation in the survey. The data was gathered from November 2017 to December 2017.