This Journal of Clinical Studies article explores how psychiatric clinical trials are safely implementing technology to navigate global pandemic challenges caused by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also can cause psychological effects in children that may impact the data and certain precautions should be taken during patient assessments to preserve the data’s integrity. Although the nature of the clinical trial should be considered, it’s important to collaborate with the overseeing IRB early for regulatory and safety concerns.

The article also provides further guidance on the effect on data of switching to remote administration mid-study. Readers will also receive specific tips for conducting virtual visits and remotely administrating commonly used scales in child psychiatric trials – C-YBOCS, K-SADS-PL, C Y-BOCS-ASD, and YGTSS to name a few.