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Best Clinical Data Management Systems 2025

What are Clinical Data Management Systems? A Clinical Data Management System or CDMS is a tool used in clinical research to manage and store the data of a clinical trial. CDMS employ different means to validate clinical data and minimize errors due to human error caused by manual entry. It is often built-in to existing Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) software, but more commonly, vendors in the space are offering these two components separately. Features & Capabilities Many CDMS ...

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What are Clinical Data Management Systems?

A Clinical Data Management System or CDMS is a tool used in clinical research to manage and store the data of a clinical trial. CDMS employ different means to validate clinical data and minimize errors due to human error caused by manual entry.

It is often built-in to existing Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) software, but more commonly, vendors in the space are offering these two components separately.

Features & Capabilities

Many CDMS platforms are designed to be very industry-specific or use-case-specific. For example, you will find CDMS tailored to use in trauma intake services, psychiatry studies, and/or pharmaceuticals development.

However, here are some key features to look for across CDMS platforms, regardless of their focus:

  • "At-a-glance" dashboards
  • Automated data validation
  • Data locking
  • Data lookups and intuitive search
  • Data reporting, built-in w/ customization options
  • Electronic data capturing (EDC)
  • Support for electrophysiological data
  • Exportation of data in various file formats
  • Interface with word processing/data entry software
  • Integration with related software, like CTMS
  • Support for neuroimage data

Clinical Data Management Systems Comparison

The deciding factors for choosing a CDMS platform are almost identical to that of choosing a CTMS. One of the key decision-makers for choosing a CDMS is whether you'd like to have a cloud or on-premise-hosted solution. Depending on your jurisdiction, regulations on subject rights and privacy may make this decision for you. Also, consider whether you'd like a CDMS specifically designed for your industry, they typically have standardized features that speak to your specific applications that can help with training and onboarding investigators and clinical trial managers. As you're reviewing the regulatory requirements for a CDMS when deciding your deployment style, make sure to verify with vendors that it will comply.

CDMS Pricing

As with CTMS, CDMS vendors offer free trials, but take note of costs associated with choosing a solution that's right for you: setup and implementation fees, integration fees, compliance fees, support fees, and the addition of added modules and considerations. On the lower-end, you can find CDMS software for around $20k/yr. You may save money both in the short-term and long-term by going with a CDMS that is already backed into an existing CTMS platform.

Clinical Data Management FAQs

What is Clinical Data Management?

Clinical Data Management refers to the collection and storage of data collected during clinical research. To obtain quality information that is complete and error-free, the process of collecting and handling research data is performed in compliance with regulatory standards.

What are examples of clinical data?

According to the University of Washington's Health Sciences Library, six main types of clinical data gets collected during trials or patient care:

  • Electronic health records
  • Administrative data
  • Claims data
  • Patient / Disease registries
  • Health surveys
  • Clinical trials data


How does one become a clinical data manager?

Clinical data managers handle all aspects of clinical or patient data collection and dissemination. They typically have Master's Degrees in life/health sciences, computer science, or engineering related to health services. Of course, clinical data managers are usually proficient users of CDMS and CTMS platforms.