eResearch Technology was severely impacted by a ransomware attack that slowed down progress on COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research. The provider of technology that enables clinical trials and data sharing at organizations including AstraZeneca, Oxford University, and Bristol Myers Squibb, reported that its employees could not access many systems. That in turn affected clinical trials in progress as researchers were forced to track patient data manually using pen and paper. Systems were down for several days.



