The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged health care systems worldwide in many ways, from the need for accurate and accessible diagnostics to inform disease surveillance to the importance of creating surge capacity to enable hospitals to meet patient demand. Notable among these challenges has been the pandemic’s effect on the global clinical research enterprise, particularly in oncology.
Like all trials, clinical studies in oncology are resource intensive and require significant logistical coordination to ensure participant safety and data integrity. Oncology trials also often have several unique considerations due to disease severity, regimen complexity, and acute care requirements. The pandemic has introduced a number of challenges for investigators and patients alike, ranging from ensuring access to medication to minimizing infection risk for potentially immunocompromised patients.