Pioneering New Approaches to Clinical Trials

Episode Takeaways

1. The sentiment about clinical trials has changed, but not enough. It used to be said that we’d invite patients to the table, but it fundamentally is their table. Companies are too quick to take pride in inviting patients to the table – the sentiment is good, and the intent is positive, but the details matter. There’s historically been a lack of parity and we’ve failed to elevate the importance of the patient in the past. No more.
2. The issue of access, transparency, control, and patient participation in clinical trials is critical. Peoples’ health data serves a greater good, but there’s sometimes a financial transaction involved, typically without the knowledge or involvement of the patient whose data it is. Decentralized clinical trials is, in many ways, the solution, and the pandemic showed that it can be successful. We use technology and resources for people to participate from wherever they may be. Travel has always been an intrinsic part of the clinical trial process. That doesn’t have to be the case any longer.
3. Building communities where teams can collaborate and communicate has been critical. We’ve removed so many barriers and have so much more experience with the logistics and technology to make decentralized clinical trials standard practice and accessible to all. The improvement of existing technology and the advent of new technology promise to only increase access and efficacy.
4. We have to apply technology in the right ways to get the most out of them. A digital clinical trial is inherently more patient-friendly and patient-centric, but it’s a huge failure to assume that by using technology and digital tools that we’re doing something that’s easier or better for the patient. We deploy technology in the wrong ways at times, which makes it more difficult instead of less. We have to be mindful to include the patient at every step of the journey and not make assumptions. People want to engage and share, and we need to accept their help, to stop and listen and incorporate their feedback.