Location · ItalyUpdated September 29, 2026

Clinical trial software for studies in Italy

Italy combines strong academic research centres and hospital networks with a reorganised ethics system under the EU regulation. Capture runs Italian sites in the same study as the rest of your programme, hosted in the EU.

  • EU hosting in Frankfurt
  • Coded IDs for sponsor users
  • No per-site fee

Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned

Study settings · Region
IT

Study region

Italy

Regulator
AIFA
Ethics
Territorial and national ethics committees
Regulation
EU CTR via CTIS
Data protection
GDPR, Privacy Code, Garante
Hosting
EU (Frankfurt)
GDPR AES-256 at rest TLS in transit

Key points for studies in Italy

  • Medicinal product trials follow the EU Clinical Trials Regulation, with the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) as competent authority.
  • Italy reorganised its ethics committees in 2023 into a smaller number of territorial committees and a few national committees for specific areas. Check which committee applies to your study.
  • Data protection combines the GDPR with the Italian Privacy Code, overseen by the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali, with specific rules for medical research.
  • Observational studies have their own national requirements, distinct from interventional trials.
  • Italy has a strong base of academic and hospital research centres, including IRCCS research hospitals.

Research landscape

A reorganised system, the same data needs

The 2023 reorganisation of Italian ethics committees aimed to align the system with the EU regulation's timelines. For sponsors, it means checking which committee reviews each study and planning submissions accordingly. Site contracts and local administrative steps at each hospital remain important for start-up timelines.

Once approved, Italian sites should work exactly like every other site in your study: the same locked forms, edit checks, randomisation and audit trail. Local differences, such as site-specific consent versions, belong in configuration, not a separate build. See multi-site clinical trial management.

Research without consent

Italian data protection rules include specific provisions for medical research where obtaining consent is not possible, particularly for retrospective studies. These usually need an ethics committee opinion and additional safeguards. Discuss the legal basis with your data protection officer early.

Phase 3 · Study overview by site

Randomized

166 / 240

Open queries

24

Fields verified

84%

Site 01 · Boston48/60

3 open queries · 92% SDV

Active
Site 02 · Madrid41/60

7 open queries · 85% SDV

Active
Site 03 · Riga22/60

14 open queries · 61% SDV

At risk
Site 04 · Toronto55/60

0 open queries · 100% SDV

Frozen

Site risk

Site 03 query backlog

Data lock

Site 04 ready to lock

Start-up

Prepare sites while approvals run

Each site passes an activation checklist before it can enrol: ethics approval, contract, initiation visit and delegation log. Italian sites can be added and trained while approvals are pending, then activated as soon as the checklist is complete.

  • Site activation checklist.
  • Team members invited at any time.
  • Blank eCRF PDF for ethics submissions.
Clinical trial study start-up software
Site 01 · Activation
  • IRB/EC approved12-Aug-2026
  • Contract executedConfirmed
  • Site initiated / SIV completed02-Sep-2026
  • Delegation log completeConfirmed
All 4 items completeActivate site

Pre-launch readiness

1 site activated

1 form not yet approved

Activate a test site

Walk through the site activation checklist in the free sandbox.

Build your study free

Planning

Italy planning table

AreaWhat to plan
RegulatoryCTIS application with the Italian part; AIFA as competent authority
EthicsWhich territorial or national committee reviews the study
Site contractsHospital administrative steps and timelines
Data protectionLegal basis, Garante requirements, pseudonymisation
MaterialsItalian consent and participant documents
ActivationChecklist complete before first enrolment

Academic research

Non-commercial studies in Italy

Italy has specific provisions for non-commercial ("no-profit") studies sponsored by hospitals, universities and research institutes, recognising that academic sponsors have different resources from industry. Many important Italian trials are investigator-led, often run across networks of public hospitals and IRCCS research institutes.

Academic sponsors need tools that are affordable and quick to set up without a vendor project. Capture's free sandbox lets investigators build and test the study before funding or approval is final, and there is no per-site fee as the network grows. See EDC for investigator-initiated trials.

Before you start

Italy study set-up checklist

CTIS application

Including the Italian part.

Ethics committee

Territorial or national committee identified.

Contracts

Hospital contracts and administrative approvals.

Data protection

Legal basis and safeguards documented.

Italian materials

Approved consent and participant documents.

Site activation

Ethics approval, contract, initiation visit and delegation log.

FAQ

Questions teams ask before they switch

Something not covered here? Ask us directly.

Are academic studies treated differently in Italy?

Italy has specific provisions for non-commercial studies sponsored by hospitals, universities and research institutes.

Is there a per-site fee?

No. Adding a site means inviting its team and activating it.

Who regulates clinical trials in Italy?

The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), under the EU Clinical Trials Regulation, with ethics review by territorial or national ethics committees.

How did Italian ethics committees change?

In 2023 Italy reorganised its ethics committees into a smaller number of territorial committees plus national committees for specific areas.

Who oversees data protection in Italy?

The Garante per la protezione dei dati personali, applying the GDPR and the Italian Privacy Code.

Can Italian sites join a global study in Capture?

Yes. Every site runs in the same study with the same forms, checks and audit trail.

Where is data hosted for studies in Italy?

Capture hosts study data in the EU (Frankfurt) or the US (N. Virginia), chosen at study setup, with AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS in transit. Choosing Frankfurt keeps study data in the EU.

Can I try it before committing?

Yes. The free sandbox has every feature with no credit card and no time limit.

Italian sites in your study

EU hosting and one audit trail. Free sandbox.

Build your study free