Customer Profile
The IR-4 Project has been the major resource for supplying pest management tools for specialty crop growers by developing research data to support new EPA tolerances and labeled product uses.
Industry
Agricultural Trials – Life Sciences
Region
Americas
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3C Company is dedicated to the Pharmaceutical industry, helping their clients achieve strategic advantage by leveraging industry-specific technologies to improve business processes.
Case Study:
3C helps The IR-4 Project reduce time to collect clinical trial data
The Challenge
3C Company® provides technology services to the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Their client, Rutgers University, conducts the IR-4 Study to identify safe and effective pest management solutions for crop growers. They take approved and late-stage development pesticides and conduct tests on specialty food crops (avocados, tomatoes, etc.). IR-4 had to streamline the data collection process in order to meet their goal of completing testing and receiving EPA approval on the final protocol within 30 months. IR-4 had tried different electronic data capture alternatives. But none were effective in the trial environments because of bright sunlight and dusty conditions. Data collection is critical to manage and monitor the test in the field. The paper-based data collection method was unorganized, inaccessible and time consuming. It often took 12-15 months for the data to be entered into the database which was not ideal considering their 30 month goal. The delays were compounded by logistical and reporting issues. The Field Researchers and their Regional Directors had to revert to faxes and other manual means so everybody could review the data simultaneously. Data was being manually aggregated by highly trained people often spreading field books out on the floor and key entering data into a spreadsheet.
The Solution
ExpeData® Digital Writing Platform, coupled with 3C Company’s Data Management Solution, provides the perfect combination to address IR-4’s data collection challenges. The field books are pre-printed on digitally patterned paper that are identical to the forms previously used. The experience of the Field Researchers is virtually the same in terms of recording data. They collect information by simply writing on the digitally patterned paper with digital pens and at the end of the day, dock the pens into their cradles at the PC. The data is transmitted to the 3C data management system for additional processing and cleaning. The clean data is inserted into another database from which a series of reports are created that IR-4 will use in their submissions to the EPA.
The Results
By incorporating the ExpeData Digital Writing Platform into their process, IR-4 had access to information in a matter of hours that used to take 12-15 months. This allowed IR-4 to achieve their goal of protocol approval in 30-months. Problems can be corrected before a protocol deviation becomes uncorrectable, saving valuable time and money. Communication is enhanced by availability of information to all parties participating in the trial at the same time for review and discussion.
"It’s a fantastic use of the technology. There’s no better environment to use a non-invasive type tool than in a field where it can get dirty-it can get dropped in mud. Computers just don’t work there. "
Karen Briegs
Director of Marketing and Product Development
3C Company
