Virtual Clinical Trials Office (VCTO) Pilot Program: Expanding Access to NCI-Sponsored Oncology Clinical Trials

Overview

In 2022, DCTD introduced the VCTO Pilot Program designed to address the trend of decreased patient participation in NCI-sponsored clinical trials by supporting clinical sites that were experiencing workload challenges. The goal of the program is to develop best practices for implementing clinical trials and improving patient recruitment and retention to ultimately expand patient access to innovative cancer therapies and advance cancer treatment outcomes.

The VCTO aims to validate the feasibility of remote, centralized support for clinical trials and to identify ways to address operational barriers at local oncology practices and clinical research sites. The best practices developed could be adapted to maximize the efficiency of current and future NCI-sponsored clinical trials.

Mission Statement

The VCTO works to strengthen oncology clinical trials through centralized, remote support services that expand patient access to cutting-edge cancer treatments and advance patient care.

Goals

The VCTO remotely supports U.S. clinical research sites that are experiencing operational barriers in clinical trials by:

Accelerating patient enrollment
Providing operational support
Improving overall trial execution
Enhancing patient access to innovative cancer treatment and screening trials

These objectives align with DCTD’s mission to deliver scalable, practical solutions that drive meaningful progress in cancer research.

Remote Clinical Trial Support in Action

The VCTO consists of a dedicated team of virtual staff from the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. on behalf of NCI. This team offers partner sites expert remote support, including:

Patient outreach and engagement
Participant identification and screening
Assistance with enrollment processes
Timely and accurate data entry
Query resolution and data quality oversight
Support for site audits and monitoring activities

This model of remote support reduces clinical research site workloads, streamlines workflows, and supports consistent trial performance across diverse clinical environments.

DCTD has funded the VCTO through 2027.

Flexible Implementation Across U.S. Sites

DCTD initially selected six U.S. clinical research sites for their diverse geographic settings, varying clinical operations, and specific critical needs for the launch of the VCTO. The participating organizations include NCI-designated cancer centers and NCI Community Oncology Research Program consortia members.

Due to early success and positive feedback from sites, DCTD expanded the pilot to 17 clinical research sites across the nation. The program’s adaptable structure allows the VCTO staff to tailor support to each site’s specific needs, provide customizable service offerings, test scalable models of remote engagement, and identify best practices in virtual clinical trial operations that are broadly applicable across the clinical research community.

Program Impact

The VCTO staff facilitated the following results as of April 2025:

Patient accrual rates 5 times the national average
More than 40,000 patient screenings across 16 cancer treatment protocols
Faster protocol enrollment, with several trials reaching accrual targets ahead of schedule
Sites able to open new protocols due to improved operability

These results highlight the potential of remote support models to improve clinical trial performance and patient access to innovative cancer therapies. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation will inform best practices for centralized remote research support to guide future strategies for improving the reach and impact of oncology clinical trials.