The Importance of Real-Time Visibility in Clinical Trial Supply Chains
- PRONAV
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
The efficient processing of Investigational Medical Products (IMPs) through clinical trial supply chains requires a deep understanding of operational management and thorough monitoring of each step. Effective coordination of multiple partners across the full supply chain is essential to the timely delivery of IMPs to clinical sites and ultimately to the patients. Real-time visibility of both the product flows and the associated quality documentation is critical to this goal.
Without this visibility, delays, temperature excursions, stockouts, or errors in shipments can go unnoticed until it’s too late, jeopardizing patient treatment, data integrity, and regulatory compliance. An error in a shipping instruction that goes unnoticed, for example, may result in a shipment being made at the wrong temperature, going to the wrong site, or arriving on the wrong date.
With robust real-time visibility of each supply chain task and associated documentation, stakeholders can proactively address disruptions, ensure timely resupply, maintain chain-of-custody, and adapt quickly to protocol or demand changes. In short, real-time visibility transforms the supply chain from a reactive to predictive process - reducing risk, cost, and waste while supporting trial continuity and patient care.
Benefits of a Centralized, Real-Time Platform
Implementing a platform with real-time visibility of tasks and easy access to related documentation through a single portal offers significant advantages:
Effective Coordination across Clinical Ops and CMC: A single source of truth ensures every stakeholder knows what’s completed and what remains, improving collaboration and accountability.
Faster, More Efficient QP Review: Instant access to near real-time quality and product data allows QPs to certify batches quickly and efficiently.
Regulatory Compliance: Maintaining audit-ready documentation reduces risks of noncompliance and batch rejection.
Proactive Issue Resolution: Continuous monitoring, like temperature tracking, helps catch problems early, preventing last-minute surprises and bottlenecks.
What Real-Time Visibility in Clinical Trial Supply Chains Looks Like in Practice
In practice, real-time visibility should consist of the following both shared document access and maintaining live tracking dashboards:
Shared Document Access in near real-time
All stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the Sponsor, Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), packaging and labelling partner, Qualified Persons, and Depots, should have instant access to the status of relevant tasks and the most recent versions of related manufacturing and quality documentation in a centralized sharing platform (for example RegDocs365) The implementation of a single source of truth encourages the standardization of documentation and ensures version control and document amendments are recorded, thereby mitigating the risk of data mismanagement and making the reviewing process simpler.

Live Tracking Dashboards
Dynamic live-tracking dashboards (for example, PROMAP) used to consolidate data from multiple data sources across the supply chain in a single, accessible view should have the ability to show:
The status of tasks and associated documents – this would ensure any delays or errors can be discovered as soon as possible, enabling notifications to be sent out to the responsible parties and action to be taken before delays are pushed down the chain and bottlenecks happen.
Batch readiness for QP review – the QP can use the dashboard to track the progress of a batch through the supply chain, from drug substance to final drug product. This enables them to keep up-to-date with compliance documentation and have real-time knowledge of any non-compliance issues, thus speeding up batch certification.
Shipment temperature monitoring – when temperature can be monitored in near real-time, any deviations can be identified and rectified ASAP. This enables systems to be put into motion even before the product has arrived at its destination, for example, quarantining or ordering a replacement shipment1.
Automated notifications for incomplete or overdue tasks – automated notifications for incomplete or overdue tasks alert responsible individuals or stakeholders in real time, helping prevent important steps from being overlooked.
Using PROMAP to streamline task and data management
Final Thought: Visibility Drives Performance
In today’s fast-paced and complex clinical trial environment, real-time visibility is no longer optional; it’s essential. Even with the best product and the most detailed operational plan, the absence of real-time visualization can derail the supply chain and potentially also the clinical trial. Teams managing clinical trial logistics should prioritize implementing centralized, real-time tracking platforms to catch and resolve issues immediately. Doing so ensures smoother operations, on-time trial progression, and ultimately better outcomes for patients.
Contact Us today to discuss how PROMAP, our proprietary cloud-based task management and data-sharing platform, can help you simplify the most complex supply chain challenges. It provides a centralized, real-time solution for storing, sharing, and reviewing critical regulatory and batch certification data and documents allowing you to streamline your supply chain task & document management.
1. A New Approach to Temperature Monitoring in a Changing Clinical Supply Chain Environment. Applied Clinical Trials. March 6, 2019. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/view/new-approach-temperature-monitoring-changing-clinical-supply-chain-environment