Improving Trial Speed and Quality with Remote vs In-Person Methods
Official title: Improving Clinical Trial Efficiency and Quality: Randomized Controlled Evaluations of Remote vs. In-Person Methods
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-11420672 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests whether running trials remotely or in person makes studies faster and more reliable for people with conditions affected by COVID-19.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,011,170 |
| NIH project number | 4UH3TR004797-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11420672 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults eligible for smoking cessation, depressive symptoms, or opioid overdose education studies, across participating sites.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not enrolled in trials or those who cannot participate remotely due to specific clinical or technology barriers.
What this research studies
This project will run three randomized trials to compare remote, decentralized trial methods with traditional in-person approaches. It looks at how quickly patients enroll, how well they stay engaged, how faithfully treatments are followed, and whether biospecimens are collected across multiple sites. The goal from a patient perspective is to learn if virtual participation can reduce travel burdens while maintaining high-quality data. The work spans a large multi-site smoking cessation trial and two smaller studies focusing on depression and opioid overdose education. If successful, the findings could inform better, more accessible trial designs for people living with chronic conditions or in post-pandemic care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make participating in clinical trials easier and faster for patients while preserving data quality.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on remote trials is limited and evidence is mixed, making this a novel, rigorous evaluation.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hawk, Larry W — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Hawk, Larry W
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.