Capture vs Almac IXRS: supply services or randomization in the EDC
Almac pairs IRT with clinical supply services. If your study needs a supply partner, that combination can make sense. If it needs randomization, blinding and kit tracking, Capture does that inside the EDC.
- Free sandbox, no sales call
- EDC, ePRO, eConsent, randomization
- Part 11-aligned controls
Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned
Tests
5
Hands-on
4
To confirm
1
- Randomize a test participant with strataSame test, both systems
- Check what a blinded user seesSame test, both systems
- Test emergency unblindingSame test, both systems
- Dispense and return a kitSame test, both systems
- Map your supply chain needsAsk both vendors
Capture vs Almac: the short version
- Almac Clinical Technologies, part of the Almac Group, provides IRT (often called IXRS) alongside Almac's clinical supply services.
- IRT from a supply services provider suits studies where the same partner packages, labels and distributes drug.
- Studies with simpler supply often need randomization, blinding and kit accountability, not a separate IRT.
- Capture runs stratified randomization, blinded roles and kit dispensing inside the EDC.
- Decide the supply model first; the software choice follows.
0
sales calls needed to start building
1
audit trail across EDC, ePRO, eConsent and randomization
Free
sandbox with every feature, no time limit
EU + US
hosting in Frankfurt or N. Virginia
The comparison
Start from the supply model
If a clinical supply partner is packaging, labelling, storing and shipping investigational product, it often makes sense to use their IRT, because it connects directly to their logistics. If the sponsor or pharmacy manages a simpler supply, or kits are dispensed from site stock, the IRT's logistics features matter less than clean randomization and accountability.
Capture covers the second case: arms, blocks, strata and caps set once, allocation at enrolment, kits dispensed under electronic signature, and accountability reports and exports, all in the EDC. See RTSM software.
What to compare
What to test when comparing Capture and Almac
| Criterion | Why it matters | Capture |
|---|---|---|
| Randomization design | Balance and allocation concealment | Block randomization with stratification and enrolment caps |
| Blinding | Protecting the trial | Blinded roles never receive the treatment arm, including in exports |
| Kit management | Dispensing and accountability | Kit dispensing under e-signature; accountability report and export |
| Supply services | Packaging, labelling, distribution | Not provided; use your supply partner |
| Data flow | Reconciliation effort | Allocation and kits in the same record as visit data |
| Commercial model | Fit for your study size | Free sandbox; no setup fee; pay only when you go live |
This table shows Capture's answers only. Ask Almac for theirs, and confirm current capabilities and terms directly with them.
Randomization
Randomization and kits inside the EDC
Set arms, block size, stratification factors and enrolment caps once at setup. Allocation happens at enrolment, the same way at every site, and is logged in the audit trail. An unblinded administrator owns the randomization and medication lists, and kits are dispensed under electronic signature.
- Stratified block randomization with caps.
- Kit dispensing and accountability.
- Allocation logged in the audit trail.
1 of 2 kits confirmed
Blinding
Blinding enforced on the server
Blinded roles never receive the treatment arm, not even in the data behind the screen or in exports. Investigators keep emergency unblinding, and the study owner can approve an unblinding request without seeing the answer. Every allocation and unblinding is logged.
- Treatment arm never sent to blinded users.
- Emergency unblinding, logged.
- Approvals without revealing the arm.
Study coordinator
Subject 01-004
Randomized · R-0012
KitK-10418
Arm columnNot sent
Unblinded administrator
Subject 01-004
Randomized · R-0012
KitK-10418
Arm columnA
Same subject, same screen. The arm never reaches blinded roles.
Randomize and dispense in the sandbox
Try it as a blinded and an unblinded user.
Fit
When Almac fits, and when Capture does
Almac is often a strong fit when Almac also provides clinical supply services, and for studies with complex global distribution.
Capture fits studies with simpler supply that want randomization and kit accountability in the EDC, without a second system.
One platform
EDC, ePRO, eConsent and randomization in one study
Sites enter data on locked, approved forms with edit checks that raise queries at entry. Participants complete questionnaires on their own phones and sign eConsent with verified signatures. Randomization and kit management run in the same study, and everything shares one field-level audit trail.
- One participant record across every module.
- No integrations to build or reconcile.
- Phase 1 through Phase 3.
Switching
Moving from Almac to Capture
Confirm your supply model first. If supply services stay with a partner, discuss how kit information will be shared; if supply is simple, configure randomization and kits in Capture.
Recreate randomization designs for new studies rather than migrating live lists.
Evaluation
How to evaluate randomization and supply options
Randomization design
Blocks, strata and enrolment caps.
Blinded view
Screens and exports for blinded users.
Emergency unblinding
Who can, and what is logged.
Kit accountability
Dispensing, returns and reports.
Supply complexity
Depots, temperature control and resupply rules.
EDC link
Integration or the same system.
All comparisons
Compare Capture with other platforms
Every comparison uses the same approach: what to test, where each option fits, and Capture's own answers. See all of them on the comparisons hub at /compare.
Does Capture provide clinical supply services?
No. Capture provides randomization and kit management software inside the EDC.
Is Capture an Almac IXRS alternative?
For studies with straightforward supply, yes.
Can kits be tracked?
Yes. Kits are dispensed under e-signature, with accountability reports and exports.
Can I test Capture before deciding against Almac?
Yes. The free sandbox includes every feature with sample data, no credit card and no time limit. You pay only when you go live.
How did you build this comparison?
From public positioning and the criteria teams tell us matter. We state only Capture's own capabilities as fact; confirm Almac's current offering with them.
Randomization without another system
Blinding and kits in the EDC. Free sandbox.