Non-COVID 19 clinical trials on hold in Singapore due to viral pandemic

With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting clinical trials worldwide, Singapore is among the countries that have issued guidance for sponsors, investigators, and review boards on handling trials that were already in progress. Under the guidance issued by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), sponsors should follow up with and monitor trial participants remotely whenever possible, attain written permission from trial sites to do so, and explore alternative locations for lab tests and CT/MRI scans. Trial participants should be kept informed of changes or suspensions that could impact them and sponsors and investigators should consider potential impacts on the safety and well-being of trial participants when considering potential modifications to trials in relation to the COVID-19 situation. The guidance also calls for notifying the HSA of noncompliance with trial protocols in relation to the pandemic.