Research driving the development of new treatments involves several stakeholders: research coordinators, contract research organisations (CROs), and, most importantly, patients, who are at the center of a successful trial.
At the same time, a growing interest in using artificial intelligence (AI), wearable technology, and remote monitoring devices is changing how patients participate in clinical trials and, at times, creating challenges for them.
In this podcast, Manasi Vaidya, editor, GlobalData Insights, talks to two experts in the throes of clinical research; Jonathan Kornstein, Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head, Rare Disease and Pediatrics at the CRO Caidya, and April Bell, interim director at the Office of Clinical Research at the JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas.
Kornstein and Bell discuss major trends in the clinical research space, including the impact of changes in federal laws and at the US Department of Health and Human Services, how technology is affecting the way research is conducted, and ways in which clinical trial sites and CROs are prioritising patients in their operations.
Some of these patient-centric interventions can be relatively straightforward and still have a meaningful impact on clinical trial participants. Bell says, “We don’t need advertising dollars… we need to be able to help these people live… with food and housing.”
Kornstein echoes this sentiment. “I’m a big proponent of taking the patient-centric approach…. We [at Caidya] think about the patient journey before we start.” He says doing so helps improve recruitment and retention, and patients tend to then like being in the study. Kornstein suggests considering a decentralised approach where applicable, for example with eCOAs or home nursing solutions, to reduce the burden on patients and their caregivers.
Furthermore, Bell highlights how meeting the patient where they are and checking what they need can improve the site’s ability to not only enroll patients, but also retain them in clinical studies.
These interviews were recorded at the Outsourcing in Clinical Trials (OCT) East Coast conference, which took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey, 12-13 May 2026.
Listen to the full episode below:
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