Researchers tested a new way to measure how patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) progress during clinical trials. Instead of relying only on traditional clinical checks, they used a digital tool. This tool used smartphones to track how patients walked and moved. This data was combined with standard clinical records to create a more efficient way to measure the disease.
The study involved 667 people with multiple sclerosis. The results showed that using this digital method could reduce the number of patients needed for a trial by about 25 percent. It also showed that researchers could reach their goals 24 weeks earlier than they would have with traditional methods. This could potentially shorten the total time needed to observe a trial by 25 percent.
Because this study focused on the methods used to run trials rather than a specific drug, the results do not change current medical treatments for MS. However, it shows a practical way to make research more efficient. This could help researchers get results faster for many different neurological conditions.
