Do you see clients starting to think about eClinical trials and the integration of point solutions?
Absolutely—this is where we are headed. EDC is about having data sooner and doing something with it, but there is a need to leverage that technology with other solutions. The question is—can you access the data beyond the application in which it resides? The answer is often “no.” Oracle is working toward a fully integrated suite so accessing that data from any application will be possible. The cost of ownership around having best-in-breed in every application and trying to keep them hooked together and working is becoming insurmountable. The idea of moving to a more open, less proprietary approach, using Web services and services oriented architecture to facilitate your own product integration and out into the world is really a high priority right now. What is Oracle’s approach to integration? Oracle-wide, we have a strategy, and accompanying toolset to support integration called Application Integration Architecture (AIA). This approach incorporates standards-based technologies includi
