Terms starting with V
Variable
A variable is information collected during a clinical study that could change during the course of the study (e.g., weight, blood pressure, etc.).
Virtual
Virtual refers to visits or encounters between investigators and participants who are not in the same physical location and are thus using some form of electronic technology (e.g., telemedicine, video conferencing). Clinical studies with one or more virtual visits are called virtual studies. When all data capture and study procedures are conducted virtually, they are called fully virtual studies.
Visit
A visit is a planned and unplanned intervention, procedure, and/or assessment that a participant receives in a clinical study.
Vulnerable Subjects
Vulnerable subjects are individuals whose willingness to volunteer in a clinical study may be unduly influenced by the expectation (whether justified or not) of benefits associated with participation, or by some form of perceived retaliation from senior members of a hierarchy (if the individual refuses to participate). Other vulnerable potential participants include those with incurable diseases, persons in nursing homes, unemployed or impoverished persons, persons in emergency situations, ethnic minority groups, homeless persons, nomads, refugees, prisoners, minors, and those incapable of giving consent. (CDISC)