Clinical Trial Sustainability Assessment Checklist

This document is a checklist designed to assess the sustainability readiness of clinical trials, focusing on their environmental impact. It outlines various strategies that sponsors can implement to reduce the carbon footprint associated with clinical trials, which include patient travel, shipping of kits, and powering study sites. The checklist emphasizes the importance of integrating sustainability into clinical trial operations by prioritizing digital capture and remote monitoring, reducing plastics and packaging, and utilizing recyclable or reusable shipping materials. It also highlights the need for training staff on sustainability practices and sharing sustainability stories with participants. Additionally, it discusses site and vendor selection based on science-based carbon targets and encourages the reuse or donation of equipment and materials. The document provides actionable steps for protocol design, logistics, and transportation to minimize unnecessary visits and optimize shipping routes, ultimately aiming to balance the delivery of innovative treatments with environmental responsibility.