Explore every episode of the podcast Innovating Clinical Trials

In the final part of this three-part conversation, Liam and Ted close things out with Scott Burgher, Director of Patient Operations at Quest Diagnostics, looking ahead at where AI genuinely moves the needle in recruitment, and where the industry still gets feasibility wrong.

Scott breaks AI's near-term impact into two practical buckets. The first is administrative: compressing study startup from six to twelve months down to weeks by automating document collection, regulatory submissions, IRB correspondence, and budget negotiations, work that's repetitive by nature and ripe for automation. The second is data-driven: using EHR and lab data to flag genuinely qualified patients rather than relying on broad disease prevalence, cutting down what used to take a coordinator six weeks of manual review.

They Explore:

1. Where AI can realistically compress study startup timelines, and where it can't
2. Why mining EHR and lab data beats broad disease-prevalence estimates for site and patient feasibility
3. Why the human element becomes the differentiator as software gets commoditized
4. Why most feasibility processes are still solving the wrong problem

Scott's closing thoughts on data, predictive medicine, and the road to digital twins. The conversation closes on feasibility, which Scott calls broken at its core, working backward from protocol specifics to find the real "needle in the haystack" instead of the whole haystack. A thoughtful close to the series.

In Part 2 of this three-part conversation, Liam and Ted continue with Scott Burgher, Director of Patient Operations at Quest Diagnostics, going deeper into why recruitment keeps falling short.

Liam reframes the problem from the ground up: the industry treats recruitment as a marketing function obsessed with filling the top of the funnel, when the real work is moving patients all the way through it. Scott connects this to his experience running end-to-end mock trials years ago, testing the full patient journey, not just whether an ad worked, but whether someone could realistically sit through a four-hour infusion or navigate a handoff between site staff who'd never met them.

The conversation turns to site economics, which Scott calls structurally broken: sites invest in staff and training months before seeing payment, and when that investment doesn't pay off, they quietly stop prioritizing the study. As Scott puts it, that's not a performance problem, it's a structural one, though it shows up in the data looking exactly like one.

Ted pushes the conversation toward what actually closes that gap: a real feedback loop between sponsors and sites, where issues get surfaced, acted on, and communicated back, not just logged and forgotten.

A grounded look at what it actually takes to fix recruitment from the inside.

In Part 1 of this three-part conversation, Liam and Ted sit down with Scott Burgher, Director of Patient Operations at Quest Diagnostics, who brings over 20 years of patient recruitment experience spanning healthcare marketing, clinical trial agencies, large consulting, and big tech, to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of patient recruitment.

In this episode, Scott breaks down why recruitment keeps missing the mark. He argues that sponsor decision-making cycles are a massively underestimated blocker, a recruitment strategy can be fully approved by the study team and still sit untouched in legal or procurement for months while the clinical timeline keeps ticking, often defaulting back to digital and social media ads as a last resort. Liam connects this to a separate problem he's seen across budgets: an "iceberg" of recruitment costs sitting below the surface, the centralized strategy and patient-processing work that rarely gets line-itemed alongside site costs.

They Explore:

1. Why the 86% missed-enrollment-deadline statistic hasn't moved in over a decade, even as industry awareness has grown
2. How sponsor decision-making cycles quietly stall recruitment strategy for months before outreach even begins
3. The "iceberg" problem: recruitment costs that never make it into the visible budget
4. Why most patients never hear their doctor recommend a clinical trial, and what that gap costs
5. Where AI is genuinely useful in patient identification, and where it's being oversold as a fix
6. The role of primary care physicians in patient recruitment

A candid look at the structural issues behind patient recruitment.

In this special episode, we mark Ted Trafford's 31st year in clinical trials with a candid reflection on what three decades in this industry actually teaches you.

It started with a LinkedIn post Ted wrote where is says that after 31 years, he said he'd learned nothing. Listen in to hear what he meant by this. Liam and Ted go on to discuss the more experience you accumulate, the more you realise how much you still don't know. Liam frames this through the circle of competence: as your knowledge grows, so does your awareness of everything sitting outside it. Thirty-one years in, Ted feels that more than ever, and both hosts agree that the willingness to say "I don't know, can you explain that to me" is what separates people who keep growing from people who stop.

The conversation also turns to recruitment, where Ted has been quietly building a list of every factor that affects clinical trial enrollment. One item on that list stands out: story. Most sponsors, Ted argues, don't have a compelling narrative around their molecule or their trial, and that gap costs them more than they realise. Liam connects this to something much older than clinical research. Humans have always been moved by story before they're moved by data.

This episode is a grounded, honest conversation about what it means to spend a career in this industry, and still be learning.

Every trial starts with a number on a slide,  patients needed, months allotted, a clean straight line on a chart. 

Liam and Ted pull that line apart in this episode, starting with Lasagna's Law: the 1970s observation that eligible patients seem to vanish the moment a trial opens and reappear the moment it closes. They dig into why recruitment forecasts go wrong not because the math is bad, but because the assumptions underneath the math are never tested, tracked, or even written down. 

Liam reframes recruitment forecasting using a sat-nav analogy: the plan is your estimated arrival time, the forecast is what updates as you actually drive. Ted brings a wildlife photographer's lens, literally, arguing most sponsors are zoomed in on the wrong details and missing the bigger picture entirely. 

A grounded, practical conversation for anyone responsible for building a forecast around best-case, worst-case, and base-case scenarios instead of one optimistic line.

In this episode, Ted  opens with a poem that captures the persistent, compounding burden on clinical trial sites: 50-page consents, non-functional tech, poached CRCs, financial holdbacks, and study designs that ask far too much from participants for far too little payoff.

What follows is a candid conversation between Ted and Liam about why these problems haven't gone away and in many cases, have gotten worse. Study visits in 2026 take twice as long as a decade ago. One in three procedures collected don't support a primary or key secondary endpoint. Endpoints, procedures, and planned visits have each grown by roughly 40% over 15 years.

But this episode isn't only a critique. Conversations with small biotech, mid-size sponsors, and a large pharma groups, all reached out to ask what sites actually need and what's getting in the way. Thirty years ago, that didn't happen. There is a shift and that's worth paying attention to.

In this episode, Liam and Ted explore one of the most underexamined problems in clinical trial recruitment: patient motivation is not static. 

Drawing on real-world experience from a late-night participant funnel audit to an insomnia study no-show Liam introduces two interconnected frameworks: the Decision Threshold Matrix and the Trial Value Equation.

The matrix maps patient motivation across four quadrants defined by disease severity and perceived treatment adequacy. It breaks down how patients unconsciously calculate whether participation is worth it and why trial teams consistently inflate the denominator (burden) without strengthening the numerator (benefit). 

Together, these tools offer a behavioral science-grounded lens for understanding when, why, and how patients engage with research and what teams can do about it.

This episode is for anyone working in patient recruitment, site management, or protocol design.

In the final episode of our three-part series with Jill Fikowski, founder and CEO of Changemark Research + Evaluation, we get into one of the most persistent problems in clinical research: retention.

Jill unpacks why participants drop out and it's rarely what sponsors assume.  From there, we get into the pressure that lands on research coordinators when enrollment is behind, the practices that pressure produces. We also look at what happens after the last visit particularly in psychedelic trials and whether researchers have a responsibility that doesn't end when the database closes.

Retention problems, Jill argues, are almost always inception problems. And solving them starts with a question most teams never ask.

Part 3 of 3.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Jill Fikowski, founder and CEO of Changemark Research + Evaluation, we get into what good community engagement actually looks like in practice not as a checkbox, but as a core design principle.

Jill opens with a clear answer to what good looks like: involve community from the very beginning and not just at the consent stage, not just in an advisory board email, but in protocol design, recruitment strategy, and how findings are shared.

Jill walks us through a Quebec youth cannabis and psychosis study that surpassed both its enrollment and retention targets simply by asking participants what they needed before the protocol was finalised. 

We also get into the tension between industry-sponsored research and genuine community care.  

Part 2 or 3

Jill Fikowski, founder and CEO of Changemark Research + Evaluation, brings 25+ years of lived and professional experience in substance use and mental health research. In this episode we cover her work on the SALOME trial, one of the rare studies that directly changed policy. But it wasn't just the science. It was how they centered participants from the beginning.

We also explore:

1. How to design community engagement and knowledge translation into your trial from day one
2. The gap between saying participants matter and actually building research around their humanity
3. What happens when you ask participants at the end: "What could we have done better?"
4. The difference between checking the box on community input and genuinely centering stakeholder voices

She challenges us to confront how our biases shape every decision: who we enroll, what data we collect, what we do with findings, and whether we ever ask participants what they actually needed. 

Part 1 of 3.

Clinical trials don’t become complex overnight, they get there one added process at a time.

In this episode, Ted and Liam break down why the industry is so effective at adding new layers, but rarely takes the time to remove what’s no longer needed. Whether it’s protocols, systems, or workflows, each addition is often made with good intent, but the cumulative effect can be significant.

They explore how this impacts sites in particular, increasing workload, creating friction, and ultimately making studies harder to execute. The discussion also highlights how relying on historical processes and “what’s worked before” can prevent teams from adapting to today’s reality.

Most importantly, they challenge listeners to rethink how processes are designed, not just by optimising what exists, but by asking whether it should exist at all.

A practical and thought-provoking conversation on reducing complexity and improving trial execution.

A 5 AM wake-up call. A perfectly planned setup. And a moment that never delivered.

In this episode, Liam and Ted use a story about a missed “blood moon” to explore a deeper truth in clinical trials: expectations don’t always match reality. They discuss how similar frustrations show up at clinical trial sites, where small issues stack up and slowly erode motivation.

They break down how friction at the site level, long trainings, broken systems, and unclear processes, gradually drains momentum. 

From pre-mortems to escalation paths, this conversation focuses on how to prepare for what will go wrong, even before it does.

What does it actually mean to put the patient first?

In this episode, Liam and Ted explore the role of empathy and human connection in clinical trials. From rushed pre-screening calls to a powerful story of pausing a consent conversation just to connect, they highlight how small moments build lasting trust.

They also discuss why trust is rarely factored into budgets, despite being critical to recruitment, retention, and patient experience.

A thoughtful conversation on why clinical research needs to see the person behind the data.

What makes a truly high-performing team?
Inspired by the precision of Formula One pit crews, where the difference between winning and losing is measured in milliseconds, Ted and Liam explore what clinical trial teams can learn from elite performance environments.

Ted outlines six principles that drive high-performing teams: clear objectives, defined roles, mapped processes, and a culture of continuous improvement. Liam draws on his experience in professional sport to reflect on why teams that truly operate at that level are rarer than we think, and why clinical trials are no exception.

The episode leaves listeners with one question: what if we did the debrief before the problem existed? 

In Part 3 of 3, Liam and Ted continue their conversation with Frank Watanabe, CEO of Arcutis Biotherapeutics discussing work-life balance, building social capital, and management vs. leadership.

The conversation explores leadership at a practical level, from building trust across remote teams to creating flexibility that allows individuals to balance work and life in a way that works for them.

Finally, he outlines his vision for Arcutis and what “meaningful innovation” really means focusing on solving real problems that matter to patients and clinicians.

In Part 2 of 3, Liam and Ted continue their conversation with Frank Watanabe, CEO of Arcutis Biotherapeutics, focusing on what it takes to hire and build high-performing teams in high-risk environments.

Frank shares how he approaches hiring beyond technical skills placing strong emphasis on cultural fit, risk tolerance, and the ability to innovate. 
The discussion also explores how to create a culture where people feel comfortable taking risks and learning from failure. 

From encouraging teams to challenge the status quo to fostering psychological safety through leadership, Frank outlines what it takes to build organizations that continuously improve.

They also dive into aligning incentives, building a mission-driven culture, and ensuring that when a company succeeds, its people succeed too.

In this episode, Liam and Ted sit down with Frank Watanabe, President and CEO of Arcutis Biotherapeutics, to explore his journey from a Navy officer to a biotech executive and the leadership principles established along the way. 

Frank shares how his early experiences in the military and his transition into pharma and biotech influenced his approach to leadership, highlighting a key idea that defines his philosophy: leadership isn’t about authority, it’s about earning trust and loyalty.

They discuss how operating principles can become the “DNA” of a company, not just words on a wall, and what it takes to embed culture into everyday decision-making.

A patient in a database is not a patient in a trial. So why do we keep treating feasibility like a headcount?

Fresh from a week deep in feasibility work, Liam introduces four characters who show up and cause chaos in almost every feasibility process. 

There's Spreadsheet Larry, who confuses a number with a truth. The EMR Oracle, who offers psychological safety dressed up as data. 

Prevalence Pete, who chases the sexiest percentage instead of the biggest addressable population. And Motivation Mabel, the patient who technically qualifies but simply isn't interested.

Together in this episode, Liam and Ted make the case that real feasibility isn't about being right it's about being useful. Understanding the conversion funnel, knowing how confident you actually are in your data, and recognizing that patients are humans driven by trust.

In elite sports, races are often won or lost in the transition, and Liam and Ted argue that the same is true in clinical trials. Drawing on the precision of Olympic relay racing, they make the case that the handoff points between sponsors, CROs, and sites are where trials quietly succeed or silently fall apart.

From recruitment referrals that never get followed up, to sites given the green light before they're actually ready, the gaps are rarely dramatic, but the cost adds up. The culprit, more often than not, is assumption over communication.

Tune in to find out why fixing the handoff might be the simplest, and most overlooked way to run better trials.

Using a David Letterman-inspired “Top 10” format, the conversation highlights common feasibility pitfalls faced by sponsors, CROs, and clinical trial sites, including overly complex questionnaires, unrealistic enrollment expectations, delayed communication, and last-minute fire drills. 

The discussion goes beyond surface-level frustration to explore how sponsors and CROs can rethink clinical trial site feasibility by simplifying processes, questioning legacy requirements, and focusing on identifying and supporting sites with the highest potential for success. Ted and Liam also examine how better feasibility strategy can improve enrollment outcomes, reduce operational burden, and ultimately lead to more efficient clinical trials.

This episode is for professionals involved in site feasibility, trial startup, enrollment strategy, and clinical operations, and for those who want to move beyond broken processes and drive better trial performance.

Why do clinical trials struggle even when teams are experienced and well-intentioned?

In this episode, Liam and Ted explore why these outcomes are rarely about individual performance and far more often about system-level misalignments. They unpack how incentives, information flow, and decision rights across sponsors, CROs, and sites shape behaviour and why execution tends to break down logically, not randomly.

The discussion reframes “execution issues” as predictable outcomes of how trials are designed and governed, offering a clearer lens for understanding why good teams can still produce fragile results.

Eligibility criteria are meant to bring clarity to clinical trials, but in practice, they often do the opposite.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, Liam and Ted unpack how poorly worded, ambiguous, or misaligned eligibility criteria quietly slow enrollment, frustrate sites, and introduce risk later in development.

They explore:

- Why small wording choices create big downstream problems

- How “gray areas” force sites into interpretation rather than execution

- The disconnect between healthcare documentation and research expectations

- Why enrollment challenges often originate long before the first patient is screened

- What sponsors can do to design criteria that work in the real world- not just on paper

This conversation is a practical reflection on how better protocol design can remove friction, protect sites, and keep trials moving.

In this episode, Liam and Ted unpack why enrollment behaves more like an operating system rather than a standalone process. They explore the question of ownership, the role sponsors play through protocol design, and how operational practices, healthcare realities, and human behavior all influence who ultimately makes it into a study.

The conversation moves through multiple lenses from eligibility criteria and healthcare documentation to behavioral science, site motivation, patient experience, and operational execution, highlighting why small decisions made early can have outsized effects later.

Tune in to explore why improving enrollment starts with rethinking how the system is built.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, Liam and Ted explore why building strong relationships with clinical trial sites requires more than dedicated relationship teams, it requires fixing problems at their source.

They discuss how many site challenges stem from outdated processes, one-sided agreements, and preventable operational friction that relationship teams are left to manage after the fact. Using real-world examples from confidentiality agreements to lab and portal issues, the conversation highlights the need for sponsors and CROs to look inward, modernize systems, and address root causes before sites feel the impact.

This episode is for professionals looking for a practical perspective on how proactive leadership, smarter vendor decisions, and more thoughtful processes can reduce site burden, improve trust, and strengthen trial execution.

Tune in to learn why the future of site engagement depends on prevention, not escalation.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, Liam and Ted explore what determines the trajectory of a clinical trial and why success often depends on preparation, collaboration, and the ability to adapt when things don’t go as planned. They discuss how factors outside a site’s control, such as vendor selection and monitoring approaches, can significantly influence trial momentum.

Through real-world examples, the conversation highlights how thoughtful planning, supportive site interactions, and small human touches can have an impact on study performance.

Tune in to learn how anticipating challenges and strengthening collaboration can help keep trials moving steadily toward their goals.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, Liam and Ted challenge a familiar question in clinical research: “How do we increase enrollment?” Instead, they argue that progress starts by asking a better one- “What makes enrollment challenging in the first place?”

They explore how study design, existing therapies, operational factors, and most importantly, the lived experience of participants and their families all shape recruitment outcomes. Ted shares a practical framework for slowing down, asking deeper questions, and creating space for ideas that don’t emerge when teams jump straight to solutions.

Tune in to learn how reframing the problem can unlock more meaningful, effective approaches to enrollment. 

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, Liam and Ted explore why clinical research is, at its core, a people-driven business. Drawing on real-world experiences from both patient and site perspectives, they discuss how trust, communication, and human connection directly influence recruitment, retention, and study success.

From participant consent conversations to site selection and prioritization, the discussion highlights how “soft skills” often have a measurable impact on trial performance, yet are frequently overlooked in favor of technical experience alone. 

Liam and Ted reflect on how small moments of empathy, transparency, and genuine engagement can transform transactional interactions into long-term partnerships.

Tune in to understand why focusing on people not just processes can dramatically improve how trials are delivered.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments.

Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In this episode, Liam and Ted reveal how minor, unexpected requests often snowball into a significant site burden. They dive into why scope creep occurs, how sites can respond, and what sponsors can do to prevent it before it disrupts a study.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments.

Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In this episode, Liam and Ted explore what it truly means to be a sponsor of choice for clinical trial sites. They discuss how communication gaps between sponsors, CROs, and sites can slow progress, and hinder recruitment. They offer practical steps for improving communication in both directions for creating a more collaborative environment.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments.

Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

Season 2 kicks off with Liam and Ted exploring what it means to be a “Sponsor of Choice.” Through thoughtful analogies and real-world insights. They explore why the “sweet spot” for feedback is just after a site enrolls its second or third participant when motivation, momentum, and study experience intersect. 

Tune in to discover the small shifts that can lead to gains in study outcomes.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast where Liam and Ted explore the evolving landscape of clinical research and challenge the assumptions holding it back. In this episode, we sit down with Maya Zlatanova — CEO of TrialHub and FindMeCure, and host of Trials with Maya Z — for a no-nonsense look at one of the most misunderstood concepts in research: feasibility.

Episode Overview:

Maya takes us deep into the hidden layers of clinical trial feasibility, arguing that what most of the industry calls "feasibility" is really just site contracting in disguise. Instead, she introduces a broader, patient-aligned view that incorporates standard of care, access, and real-world motivation. We discuss:

How clinical trials often fail because they ignore the healthcare systems patients actually live in

Why standard of care varies country to country — and how that affects recruitment and retention

The painful disconnect between pharma’s incentives and patients’ reality

Why relying on investigators alone leads to blind spots

How AI and emerging tech can streamline feasibility, but only if paired with real-world insight

And why hope, as Maya bluntly reminds us, is not a strategy

This is an unflinching and inspiring conversation about why better feasibility planning isn’t just a project task — it’s the foundation for better trials, faster development, and ultimately, better care.

Welcome to the Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we explore the evolving landscape of clinical research.

In this episode, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford sit down with Jill Pellegrino, CEO of AutoCruitment, to explore the future of patient enrollment in clinical trials. With a background spanning leadership roles at CVS Health, PPD, and Accelerated Enrollment Solutions, Jill brings deep expertise in leveraging technology and data-driven strategies to improve recruitment efficiency.

Jill shares how AutoCruitment direct-to-patient approach is expanding access to clinical trials beyond traditional site networks, tackling the industry’s biggest challenge—low enrollment rates. She breaks down the power of digital advertising, predictive modeling, and real-time data tracking in optimizing recruitment funnels, as well as the critical role of trust-building and site support in ensuring patients follow through with participation.

This episode dives into why the clinical trial industry continues to struggle with recruitment, how sponsors can rethink feasibility and budgeting for better enrollment outcomes, and why patient-centric solutions are the key to the future of clinical research and much more.

If you’re looking to stay ahead in patient recruitment and trial optimization, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Welcome to the Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we explore the evolving landscape of clinical research. In this episode, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford continue the conversation with clinical trial feasibility expert Nick Palumbo to examine why feasibility is much more than just site selection—and how rethinking the process can drive better enrollment and study success.

Nick shares his insights on the broader role of feasibility, from protocol optimization to enrollment modeling, and the critical need for strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. He also highlights why personalized site engagement—not mass emails—is essential to fostering collaboration and improving trial outcomes.

This episode takes a candid look at persistent industry challenges, including the long-standing failure of 80% of studies to meet enrollment goals, and explores how re-evaluating feasibility practices could be a key part of the solution. If you want to understand how feasibility can be leveraged as a strategic advantage in clinical trials, this discussion is for you.

Welcome to the Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we explore the evolving landscape of clinical research. In this episode, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford continue the conversation with clinical research expert Nick Palumbo, diving into the role of data, digital tools, and human expertise in clinical trial feasibility and patient recruitment.

Nick shares his insights on the increasing reliance on data-driven approaches for enrollment forecasting and site selection, while also highlighting the limitations of technology and the irreplaceable value of human judgment. From the challenges of global data access to the complexity of enrollment modeling, this episode unpacks the realities of leveraging data in clinical research.

We discuss the importance of setting realistic expectations, streamlining feasibility processes, and ensuring sites provide meaningful context to enhance sponsor decision-making. If you're interested in how the industry can strike the right balance between digital transformation and human insight, this episode is for you.

Welcome to the Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we explore the evolving landscape of clinical research. In this episode, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford sit down with clinical research expert Nick Palumbo to unpack the challenges and opportunities in the feasibility process.

Nick brings over two decades of experience in clinical operations, offering deep insights into sponsors, CROs, and research sites when it comes to feasibility assessments. From the burden of feasibility questionnaires to the need for better transparency and communication, this conversation takes a hard look at how feasibility can be improved to drive more accurate enrollment projections and site engagement.

We discuss the role of benchmarking, historical data, and iterative feasibility modeling, as well as practical strategies to streamline processes and enhance collaboration. If you’ve ever wondered how feasibility can be reimagined to create stronger partnerships and accelerate trial success, this episode is for you.

Innovating Clinical Trials Podcast Series: Part 3 - Opportunities in Patient Recruitment and Industry Transformation

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we explore the cutting-edge shifts in clinical research. In this episode, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford wrap up the series with industry analyst Joel White, diving into opportunities in patient recruitment, site network growth, and the evolving role of technology.

Joel shares his insights on breaking down the root causes of patient enrollment challenges, the impact of private equity on site networks, and the exciting potential of new methodologies in recruitment. From the rise of SMOs to the commoditization of technology in trials, this episode offers a forward-looking view of how the industry is transforming. 

Innovating Clinical Trials Podcast Series: Part 2 - Pricing Strategies and Emerging Dynamics

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we continue to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of clinical research. In part 2, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford are joined once again by industry analyst Joel White to dive into the complexities of pricing strategies and the shifting dynamics in the CRO and biotech sectors.

This episode unpacks the implications of pricing pressures, the role of FSP models, and the increasing consolidation of site networks. Joel shares his expert insights into how these trends are shaping the industry and what they mean for sponsors, CROs, and site organizations alike. Whether you’re managing trials, building partnerships, or navigating competitive pricing environments, this episode is packed with thought-provoking takeaways.

Part 1 - Navigating Trends in a Shifting Landscape

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials podcast, where we explore the dynamic forces shaping the clinical research industry. In this episode, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford are joined by industry analyst Joel White to unpack the key trends defining Q3.

From cancellations and funding challenges to site network innovations and advancements in technology, Joel provides a compelling analysis of the current CRO and biotech landscape—and what the future might hold. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of clinical trials or seeking actionable insights to stay ahead, this episode offers valuable perspectives for industry professionals.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford dive into the complex and often chaotic world of site startup in clinical trials. Using a creative metaphor of a horse race, they vividly illustrate the hurdles and unpredictable challenges faced during site activation, from regulatory documentation delays to contract negotiations stumbling out of the gate.

Liam and Ted explore the critical impact of poor planning, misaligned communication, and unreliable vendors on trial timelines, emphasizing how these factors can derail even the most promising studies. They also discuss actionable solutions, such as adopting more realistic startup timelines, improving communication with sites and patients, and streamlining access to necessary resources and technology.

With a mix of humor, insight, and practical advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to better understand the intricacies of site startup and how to overcome its challenges.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford delve into the nuanced frameworks behind effective clinical trial delivery. Liam introduces a proprietary system he has been refining for over 17 years, which leverages four critical lenses: medical/scientific/regulatory, operational/logistics, behavioral science, and leadership. These frameworks aim to streamline trial delivery, reduce costs, and optimize outcomes.

The conversation highlights how simplifying protocols and fostering early communication with regulatory bodies like the FDA can speed up trials and save resources. The discussion also explores often-overlooked aspects like the psychological dynamics of trial teams and participants, emphasizing the importance of motivation, team structure, and tailored patient engagement.

Finally, the episode underscores the significance of strong leadership in navigating inevitable challenges and ensuring cohesive execution. Packed with insights and practical strategies, this episode offers a fresh perspective on clinical trial delivery, blending science, psychology, and operational excellence.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford explore the challenges of recruitment and enrollment in clinical trials, comparing the current approach to "packing everything but the kitchen sink." They critique the overreliance on central advertising campaigns and highlight missed opportunities to address foundational issues like protocol design, site relationships, and storytelling.

Ted advocates for simplifying protocols and creating a dedicated VP of Enrollment role to optimize trials for faster delivery without compromising data integrity. Liam emphasizes the underutilized power of storytelling, showing how a compelling narrative about a study or sponsor can transform site engagement and motivation.

The discussion concludes with a call for long-term solutions to systemic enrollment issues, moving beyond the short-term study-by-study approach. Packed with practical insights and creative ideas, this episode challenges listeners to rethink clinical trial recruitment and the importance of strong, relatable narratives in building lasting partnerships with sites and patients.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford are joined by Selin, CEO and founder of Massive Bio, to discuss the challenges and opportunities for startups in the clinical trial space. Selin shares her expertise on what it takes to succeed in this highly complex and regulated industry. We provide some valuable advice for startup CEOs, emphasizing the importance of understanding the true pain points within pharma, focusing on solving critical problems, and knowing who will pay for the solution. We also highlightsthe difficulties startups face, from long revenue cycles to navigating the unique challenges of working with pharmaceutical companies, and stresses the need for resilience and dedication to overcome these hurdles.

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford continue their discussion with Selin Kurnaz, CEO and founder of Massive Bio, an AI-powered platform that connects cancer patients with clinical trials. The conversation centers around the critical challenges in oncology trial enrollment, from recruitment failures to the operational difficulties encountered in the "Last Mile." We discuss the need for transparency, education, and a rethinking of traditional clinical trial processes. Selin discusses the complexity of site selection, prescreening, and patient identification, highlighting that the current system often overlooks the operational steps that are crucial for successful trial participation. 

In this episode of Innovating Clinical Trials, hosts Liam Eves and Ted Trafford are joined by Selin Kurnaz, CEO and founder of Massive Bio, an AI-driven platform designed to connect cancer patients with clinical trials. 

Our conversation dives deep into the challenges of patient awareness, access, and logistical hurdles in trial enrollment. Selin shares how her personal experience with her uncle’s cancer diagnosis led to the creation of Massive Bio and her mission to streamline trial enrollment using technology. 

We discuss the "Last Mile" problem and walk through how combining technological scale with personalized concierge services can help patients not only find relevant trials but also overcome the logistical and financial barriers that can prevent participation. With insights into the complexities of the clinical trial landscape, the discussion highlights the critical steps needed to bridge the gap between patients and life-saving treatments.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments. Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In today's session we chat with Joel White from Marketcap Consulting about the financial performance of the clinical development space. In the final part of our 3 part discussion we talk through book to bill ratios, find out what is concerning Joel with the market and dive deeper into the Walgreens and BARDA agreement.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments. Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In this session we continue our discussion with Joel White from Marketcap Consulting about the financial performance of the clinical development space. We find out what Joel is bullish about and dive into the pre-clinical space. 

Stay tuned for part 3.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments. Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In today's session we chat with Joel White from Marketcap Consulting about the financial performance of the clinical development space. We discuss Joel's start in the industry, his thoughts on the macro trends and some of the challenges with technology. 

Stay tuned for part 2 and 3.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments. Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In today's episode Ted and Liam discuss how do you spot a great clinical trial site? The question is much more complex than it first appears. 

Tune in to find out their thoughts on this.

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments. Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

In today's episode Liam and Ted discuss effective leadership in delivering clinical trials. What strategies and tactics have worked in the past?

Tune in to find out

Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast designed for clinical research professionals eager to deepen their understanding of clinical trials through concise, insightful segments. Join your hosts, Liam Eves and Ted Trafford, as they uncover the core issues in clinical research, reflect on the industry, and challenge conventional wisdom.

Liam delves into the critical concept of "Don’t Mistake the Map for the Territory" in the realm of clinical trial delivery. This metaphor highlights the importance of distinguishing between our plans and models—the 'map'—and the actual execution and outcomes—the 'territory.' In clinical trial delivery, it’s essential to recognize that no matter how well planned a trial is on paper, real-world challenges can impact results. 

Join us as we discuss how understanding this distinction can lead to more effective trial delivery and better outcomes for patients.