Transforming large-scale population studies with remote diagnostics

The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on today's society. Many might argue that we were woefully underprepared, but there are some important learnings to take away from our global response that has reshaped the way we collect, monitor and analyse biodata on both a national and international scale. So how can this better prepare us for the future, and what role do remote diagnostics play in this defensive line-up? 

Large-scale population studies play a pivotal role in understanding infection, tracking trends and devising effective disease management and prevention strategies. Still, research institutions and governments alike have traditionally been hamstrung by the physical inconvenience of in-person testing. The advent of remote diagnostics has addressed this Achilles' heel, offering the ability to collect participant samples (blood, urine, saliva and stool) from convenient locations, be that at home, in-clinic or in the workplace.  

The evolution of population studies

Traditional population studies have often involved intricate logistical frameworks. They frequently faced challenges relating to participant recruitment, retention and data collection. In the context of health crises or infectious disease outbreaks, these challenges are amplified, making real-time data collection and analysis an almost impossible task. In many ways, the pandemic has only accelerated what had been on the cards for years — improving accessibility and adding optionality to what had otherwise always been an immutable on-site sample collection process.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) painted a worrying picture when they published a report stating that the number of clinical trials conducted in the UK had decreased by 41% between 2017 and 2021. This signalled an unsettling prognosis for patients waiting to access innovative treatments in the future. But if we instead remove the core prerequisite of on-site screening and monitoring in favour of more convenient at-home testing methods, then we may still have time to reverse this worrying decline. 

Setting a new standard

Promisingly, initiatives designed to observe the spread, impact and behaviour of viruses within communities have found a powerful ally in remote diagnostic testing. This technology allows researchers to collect biodata samples from participants without requiring them to visit a medical facility. It is overcoming accessibility barriers and ensuring that a more diverse cross-section of the population can be under study at any one time.

1. Accessibility: remote self-sampling eliminates geographical barriers to participation since participants from remote or underserved areas can contribute to studies without the need for physical attendance at a specified clinical location.
   
   
2. Convenience: participants can collect their biodata samples at a convenient time of their choosing. This removes the burden of travel to/from on-site clinics, which reduces participant churn, improves participant experience and encourages future engagement.
   
   
3. Real-time monitoring: with remote self-sampling, data collection can occur at regular intervals, enabling real-time monitoring of trends and changes in the participating population's health status. The significance of this could not be more evident than 2020's pandemic response.
   
   
4. Enhanced diversity: remote testing technology facilitates the inclusion of diverse demographics, resulting in a more comprehensive dataset that better represents the population under study.
   
   

Virus Watch - a COVID-19 case study

Virus Watch is England and Wales' most comprehensive household study of COVID-19. It is run by the University College London in conjunction with the NHS. Since the study began in June 2020, almost 60,000 people have contributed to its fulfilment via weekly and monthly surveys and laboratory immunity testing. The results have proven invaluable — informing the government's planning around public health and our national response to future outbreaks.

Thriva Solutions is proud to have played our part in this innovation, having partnered with the Virus Watch study since 2021, facilitating remote screening for participants' COVID-19 status via PCR and LFT test kits. Between 2021 and 2023, almost 40,000 test kits had been fulfilled, standing testament to an impressive participant engagement rate. 

Quantifiably understanding the sheer scale of COVID-19 in the UK was central to the Virus Watch initiative. Building a national picture of how many people had been infected along with their symptoms was particularly important for tracking the virus' mutations as new variants emerged. Collecting and analysing biodata via remote testing meant that the programme could expand its dataset, reaching participants across the length and breadth of the UK. This ensured that the data collected was more demographically diverse since it removed the inconvenience and inflexibility of on-site testing.  

The next challenge was to ensure participant engagement and Thriva's customer success team worked extensively alongside the Virus Watch project lead to design a custom kit, instructions and results interface that put the participants front of mind. Ensuring engagement was critical to the study's success, enabling the regular collection, analysis and tracking of trends that could signal vaccine inequality, increased vulnerability and inadequate response plans based on participants' geographical locations. 

To promote engagement, custom-branded letters were included in each kit. Not only did these include sample collection instructions, but they also sought to highlight the importance of participation in and continued engagement with this longitudinal effort. Upon completion, personalised emails were scheduled and sent to all participants summarising their individual results, which again reaffirmed the significance of their contribution. 

“Partnering with Thriva during critical phases of the pandemic (when the first and second vaccine doses were rolled out in the UK and as new variants became dominant) allowed the Virus Watch study to maximise its potential by monitoring changes in antibody levels in our study population over time. Difficulties with supply chains to obtain test kits, and challenging logistics during the pandemic were all taken care of by the Thriva team, allowing us to focus on the science. The full service provided by the Thriva team included sending individual test results back to study participants in a timely manner which helped us with participant retention. The Thriva team were excellent to work with and were happy to personalise the kits and documents to our needs”

VIRUS WATCH STUDY MANAGER Dr Jana Kovar

What does this mean for the future of public health?

Virus Watch is a clear example of the promise that remote testing technology holds for the future of global healthcare. Combined with the ever-advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence and machine learning, this innovation has the power to offer a more sophisticated analysis and prediction of disease patterns. It will ultimately contribute to increasingly effective healthcare policies and prevention strategies for future generations to come. 

The advent of remote testing has opened new doors for large-scale population studies like Virus Watch, providing a more inclusive, secure and efficient way of monitoring infectious diseases. As such, the benefits for medical research are profound and have the potential to reshape the way we tackle public health challenges.

Want to learn more about Thriva Solutions’ remote diagnostic capabilities and how we’re enabling advancement in clinical research? Get in touch with a member of the Thriva team today.