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IRT/RTSM/IWRS: Are they different or the same?
Clinical trials are not at all easy – they’re quite complex, lengthy, and challenging due to the rise of global regulatory norms. Some technologies that most clinical teams get confused about – IWRS, IRT, RTSM ー are they different or the same with a different name?

IRT/RTSM/IWRS: Are they different or the same?

Clinical trials are not at all easy – they’re quite complex, lengthy, and challenging due to the rise of global regulatory norms. Before starting a clinical trial and while running it, organisations face a number of challenges, and clinical data managers need to keep themselves updated with the latest technologies and accompanying acronyms.

Some of these procedural acronyms are industry recognized, others are specific to internal operations. Some technologies that most clinical teams get confused about – IWRS, IRT, RTSM ー are they different or the same with a different name?
We wanted to provide an insight into the evolution of some commonly used acronyms in the clinical trials industry and demystify the confusion related to these critical terms.

IVRS

IVRS or Interactive Voice Response Systems was developed in the 1990s to randomise patients via voice-based systems like phones. It evolved to also dispense IP (Investigational product) and resupply at clinical trial sites, all using voice-based systems.

IWRS

In the last decade, with the rise of the internet, web-based systems such as Interactive Web Response systems (IWRS) were introduced. These systems helped with patient randomisation, IP dispensation, and Inventory Management. These two terms, IVRS and IWRS, were widely used to describe eClinical systems depending on their modality (voice vs. web).To add to the complexity, when organisations started using both IVRS and IWRS, the term IxRS was coined to signify either of the terms.

IRT

IRT (Interactive Response Technologies) is considered a collective term encompassing diverse technologies, including Web and Voice. IRT is used in almost every industry, so clinical trial industry-specific terms were coined.

Why RTSM

Randomization and Trial Supply Management (RTSM) is the new buzzword within IRT. This term has been around since the advent of IRT technologies, but it refers more to the function of the actual system vs. the mode of delivery (voice, web, mobile, etc.). Not only does RTSM closely represent the clinical research industry, but also reduces the burden of coining newer terminologies, every time the technology evolves.

Choosing Clinion RTSM enables you to experience the highly-integrated eClinical system which will allow you to monitor complex randomisation and drug supplies using a single application. Once you Integrate Clinion RTSM with Clinion EDC, you can randomise patients and assign kits directly from Clinion EDC, thereby avoiding the need to switch between systems. This will allow you to manage time efficiently and prevent double data entry.