Blockchain technology has disclosed unprecedented opportunities in the healthcare sector by unlocking the true value of interoperability. Specifically, the striking features of blockchain technology, such as data provenance, transparency, decentralized transaction validation, and immutability, can help to compensate for stringent data management issues (e.g., patient recruitment, persistent monitoring, data management, and data analytics and accurate reporting) in clinical trials (CTs). Although several research studies show that blockchain solutions help to improve patient retention, data integrity, privacy and ensure CTs compliance with regulatory policies, a comprehensive survey on this topic is lacking. In this survey, we provide insights into the adoption of blockchain technology in CTs. We categorize and classify the literature by devising a meticulous taxonomy of the decentralized tasks of CT and practices based on indispensable parameters. Furthermore, we provide insights on works in progress toward deploying blockchain solutions in CTs. Finally, we identify and discuss several challenges that hinder the successful implementation of blockchain technologies in CTs.

区块链技术通过释放互操作性的真正价值，揭示了医疗领域前所未有的机会。具体来说，区块链技术的惊人功能，例如数据来源，透明性，去中心化交易验证和不变性，可以帮助补偿严格的数据管理问题（例如，患者招募，持续监控，数据管理，数据分析和准确报告）进行临床试验（CT）。尽管多项研究表明，区块链解决方案有助于改善患者保留率，数据完整性，隐私性并确保CT符合监管政策，但仍缺乏对此主题的全面调查。在这项调查中，我们提供了有关在CT中采用区块链技术的见解。我们通过基于必不可少的参数，对CT的分散任务和实践进行精心的分类，对文献进行分类和分类。此外，我们提供了有关在CT中部署区块链解决方案的工作的见解。最后，我们确定并讨论了阻碍CT中成功实施区块链技术的若干挑战。