News By: Emily Norris

Clinical researchers today need strong grant-writing skills to get their high-impact research projects approved and funded. Yet effective writing techniques typically aren’t taught in medical school, leaving many researchers struggling to create opportunities to further their work. That’s why the Harvard Medical School Postgraduate Medical Education’s Global Clinical Scholars Research Training program fills in the gaps to strengthen participants’ skills in this area and equip them with a valuable competitive edge to move the field forward. 

Many in the clinical trials ecosystem would like to see wider adoption of decentralized trial elements. “Yet, despite recent draft guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as an industry we haven’t made huge strides in adopting this model for interventional studies,” notes Noelle Gaskill, Head of Clinical Research Collaborations at Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.

Clinical research is in the midst of a serious talent shortage — a challenge the industry can expect to face for the next several years. Some experts predict the global labor crunch will last at least into 2030, when most baby boomers will have left the market, but younger workers won’t yet be prepared to step into vacated roles.

The process of assessing clinical trial feasibility is in urgent need of improvement. Aimed at predicting whether a trial at a particular site will succeed, feasibility involves determining whether the site has the necessary patients, staff, technology and other resources. In turn, site staff must decide whether the site should accept the study based on available resources.¹

Maintaining patient engagement and minimizing dropout rates in clinical trials is a persistent hurdle, with dropout rates soaring up to 30% in some studies. Traditional methods often fall short in addressing the needs and concerns of participants, leading to disengagement and, ultimately, withdrawal from the trial. However, purpose-driven eClinical solutions, like ENGAGE!, an integrated MyStudyManager™ Participant Portal and eConsent system, offer a more patient-centric approach that presents a promising avenue for recruiting and retaining patients for long-term engagement in clinical studies.