Advancing in Silico Clinical Trials for Regulatory Adoption and Innovation

IEEE J Biomed Health Inform. 2025 Apr;29(4):2654-2668. doi: 10.1109/JBHI.2024.3486538. Epub 2025 Apr 4.

Abstract

The evolution of information and communication technologies has affected all fields of science, including health sciences. However, the rate of technological innovation adoption by the healthcare sector has been historically slow, compared to other industrial sectors. Innovation in computer modeling and simulation approaches has changed the landscape in biomedical applications and biomedicine, paving the way for their potential contribution in reducing, refining, and partially replacing animal and human clinical trials. In Silico Clinical Trials (ISCT) allow the development of virtual populations used in the safety and efficacy testing of new drugs and medical devices. This White Paper presents the current framework for ISCT, the role of in silico medicine research communities, the different perspectives (research, scientific, clinical, regulatory, standardization, data quality, legal and ethical), the barriers, challenges, and opportunities for ISCT adoption. In addition, an overview of successful ISCT projects, market-available platforms, and FDA- approved paradigms, along with their vision, mission and outcomes are presented.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Clinical Trials as Topic* / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Clinical Trials as Topic* / methods
  • Computer Simulation*
  • Humans