Efforia incorporate all the key components of a clinical trial, including study design, population selection, intervention, outcome measures, and informed consent. Importantly, all Efforia protocols are follow Good Clinical Practice guidelines and are overseen by an institutional review board. The results of an Efforia protocol are suitable for academic journals, and can stand up to scientific scrutiny.
So why don't we just call them Efforia "clinical trials"?
Clinical trials have a branding problem
Traditional clinical trials, while vital for medical advancements, face certain challenges. First, trials have a branding issue. Trials are associated with severe disease states rather than health and wellness optimization. Many Efforia users are looking for answers on what will make us healthier, happier and more productive. And those looking for a solution to their issues don't want to be reminded of ill, sick people. They too want to he healthy and happy.
Therefore, while we use the term "clinical trial" occasionally, we tend to avoid it to steer clear of the negative connotation.
Trials are poor at conveying individual results
The branding problem is not the limit of traditional clinical trial weakness. Most of us innately understand that "individual results may vary." Every person is unique. What works for one person, might have no impact in another.
Clinical trials, however, prioritize broad results for regulatory approval over personalized outcomes, leaving individuals unsure if the findings will apply to their unique situation.
Trials scare away anyone without a massive budget and huge infrastructure
Most of us recognize trials as being expensive and complex. In fact, a modest trial can cost well into the six figures. That's well beyond the resources of even fairly successful organizations.
Moreover, traditional trials often operate under business models that don't mirror real-world healthcare scenarios. They typically involve sponsors compensating participants, which can skew outcomes. Additionally, the complexity of interventions requiring behavior change often struggles within this model, as it lacks personalized guidance and support.
How Efforia Builds on Clinical Trials
Efforia takes the best of traditional trials and goes beyond in the following ways:
Democratizing Evidence
Efforia, a citizen science platform, empowers anyone to design scientifically validated protocols, recruit participants, and evaluate outcomes, breaking away from the traditional model that requires a team of experts, significant funding, and extensive time.
Offering Guidance and Coaching
Efforia is a full treatment and coaching platform, delivering reminders, guidance, and support to participants at scale. This includes complex behavior change instructions, thereby mirroring real-life scenarios and making results more replicable in the real world.
Delivering Personally Relevant Findings
Efforia uses N of 1 research concepts, delivering personalized results directly to the participant. This allows individuals to make informed decisions based on their own experiences, rather than relying solely on broad, group-based results.
Encouraging Shared Experiences
Unlike traditional clinical trials which discourage participant interaction, Efforia promotes sharing of experiences, enabling others to learn from firsthand accounts.
Managing Negative Results Impact
Efforia focuses on individual outcomes, reducing the risk associated with negative results. Even if some participants have poor outcomes, others may have more
In conclusion, Efforia takes the robustness of traditional clinical trials and adds innovative dimensions to make them more accessible, personalized, and reflective of real-world healthcare scenarios. Rest assured, the results from Efforia protocols are as scientifically valid as those from traditional clinical trials.