Clinical trial delays are expensive — not just financially, but in the lost time patients are waiting for therapies that could improve (or even save) their lives.
For years, industry discussions cited the well-known estimate:
$4M lost per day of delay.
But recent data from the Tufts CSDD shows that this number belongs to another era.
Today, the real impact looks different — but no less meaningful.
The new analysis places the average loss per day at ~ $500,000, driven by unrealized revenue and operational inefficiencies. Direct costs for running the study remain substantial, particularly in Phase III, where daily operational expense averages around $55,700.
So yes — the number is smaller than the familiar $4M estimate.
But the underlying issue remains the same:
Unnecessary delays are avoidable — and avoidable delays are expensive.
And when delays stack across multiple studies or across a portfolio, their impact compounds rapidly.
The shift toward more targeted therapies — often for smaller patient groups — means markets are narrower, timelines are tighter, and predictability is everything.
This is exactly where RBQM and QbD prove their value:
Not as “methodologies” but as decision-making disciplines that prevent slow, expensive surprises.
QbD reduces preventable complexity at protocol stage.
RBQM ensures oversight focuses where the real risk lies.
And together, they turn studies from reactive firefighting into guided, confident execution.
Sponsors who modernize these processes early will not only meet regulatory expectations, but also deliver faster, more predictable, and more reliable trial outcomes.
“The Tufts findings align with what our Clinical Monitoring Cost Savings Calculator has repeatedly shown. When teams combine RBQM with critical thinking, trials become more predictable and more efficient. You avoid the unnecessary costs before they occur — not after.”
“RBQM isn’t just about identifying risks. It’s about understanding what really matters in your study, spotting shifts as early as possible, and acting before issues create downstream delays.”
These QbD elements then shape the monitoring strategy, not the other way around.
Our Clinical Monitoring Cost Savings Calculator analyzes real study data to reveal:
The cost of delay has changed — but the opportunity to reduce delay has grown.
Sponsors who apply QbD thinking and RBQM oversight see:
fewer avoidable protocol deviations
more stable patient retention
stronger data integrity
faster operational decision cycles
And ultimately:
More predictable trials, delivered with more confidence.
Need a quote, speaker, or more info about Cyntegrity? Reach out directly to our media contact for timely assistance.
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