Version 2025 has been released!!! This version includes updates based on ICH E6(R3) Good Clinical Practice.

The eClinical Forum offers 2 system assessment forms for investigator sites, sponsors, CROs, and regulators to use free of charge, to evaluate the suitability of an investigator site system to provide data/records for clinical trials. They are:

  • Form/S for e-Source Systems (e.g. Electronic Health Record Systems (EHRs))
  • Form/F for e-Investigator Site File Systems

The 2 system assessment forms contain questions based on regulations and guidelines from global regulatory agencies for clinical research.  Since 2016, eSRA has been globally in use and regulators have accepted its inclusion in study materials. The eCF intends to publish an update to these materials annually, in Q1, to keep current with regulations and guidelines. (Note -- in 2025, we released in April in order to include updates from ICH E6(R3) GCP which was released in Jan '25).

  • The 2 eSRA Forms (Form/S and Form/F) are attached to the eSRA Handbook which provides guidance to sites on how to complete the forms.  We request that Sponsors and CROs do not separate the forms from the handbook. Sites may separate the forms from the handbook after completion such that they are only sharing and storing the completed forms.
  • Sponsors and CROs can get additional guidance in “Implementing eSRA – Sponsor Assessment”
  • “Comparison of V2025 to V2024 and regulatory basis" shows the correlation between the 2 assessment forms and the underlying regulatory documents as well as what changes were made from the 2024 version.

Notice to those intending to include eCF Site System Assessment Forms in their own materials/applications: the forms are copyrighted by the eClinical Forum in 2025. The eClinical Forum keeps all rights of this material. Please see the License for Fair Use in the Handbooks and “Implementing eSRA” Guide. We welcome our assessment forms to be used in other formats, however, it is required that all question text be used exactly, that all questions are included, that your use is updated when the eCF forms are updated (annually, Q1), and that eClinical Forum is notified in writing and credited. By using these materials, you acknowledge the terms and conditions for use.  The eClinical Forum is only responsible for materials as distributed via the eClinical Forum website. If using the eCF forms downloaded from this website in original formats, there is no need to notify eCF.

Stay Current!!

As new regulations are released or updated, the eClinical Forum will evaluate if the site system assessment form questions should be updated. To be notified of future releases of the eClinical Forum Site System Assessment Forms and/or to provide feedback to the team, please send an email to eSRA@eClinicalForum.org.  Your email address will not be used for purposes other than to inform you of updates to eCF Site System Assessments.

Do we keep a list of sites that have completed eCF Site Assessments?

We have frequently been asked if we can provide a list of which sites have already completed an eSRA. Due to privacy laws in different countries, eClinical Forum does not keep such a list. We supply the site system assessment forms free of charge.. We encourage sponsors to keep a list for themselves of which sites they have received a completed assessment from. We encourage sites to store their completed assessments in a central location (such as their IT department) so that other groups within the same organization / using the same computerised system, can use the previously completed assessment as a starting point.

eCF Site System Assessment Resources – Scroll to see all resources

Best Practice Document on Investigator’s Signature

Published on 01 October 2022

Best Practice Document on Investigator’s Signature

The eClinical Forum is happy to announce the release of the "Investigator’s signature on electronic Case Report Forms (eCRFs), PR2.1”.

About the Best Practice Document: There is increased scrutiny by regulatory agencies on the collection of investigator’s signatures as evidence of the overall oversight on the eCRF is reported to the sponsor.  eClinical Forum PI Signature Working Group was formed in March 2021 to update the best practice document originally issued in 2017 by identifying best practices that are based on compliance with regulatory requirements and on risks such as reputation, credibility, and legal liability of the data being used by the sponsor. 

Building upon the relevant requirements regarding the investigator’s signature from the current global regulations and guidelines, it proposes the risk-based approach to the collection and control of the investigator’s signature on the eCRF data.  EDC functionalities are also recommended to better facilitate the collection and the monitoring of the investigator’s signature.  During the project, EMA issued the draft guidance titled “Guideline on computerised systems and electronic data in clinical trials” and the Working Group used this as an input in a timely manner. 

This is a significant accomplishment by the PI Signature Working Group who shared their experiences and insights which were crystalized as the best practice document.  We’d like to thank co-chairs Cinzia Piccini (Eli Lilly) and Babette von Hagen (CSL Behring), and each member of the Working Group for their invaluable contribution to the development of this document. 

This release is the public release, following the member release in April.

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Author: Kenichi Nakano

Categories: TOPICS, Regulatory, Electronic Data Capture, PRIVACY, Visible by Public

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