Rising to meet the challenges of clinical trials

In our cover story this month, Danny Buckland looks at the struggle to make clinical trials easier to conduct and more attractive to patients while understanding the impact of human behaviour and everyday pressures.

As Danny says: “The energy and intent to create a more welcoming and effective clinical trials climate for patients is there but the obstacles remain significant. Enrolment resistance is still a strain of human behaviour that can remain immune to persuasion while triggering ruinously high drop-out rates.” Read more on page 34.

Also in this issue is an article by Angela Sarmiento Betancourt on Duchenne muscular dystrophy, its impact on patients and why early diagnosis is essential. Angela explains: “Duchenne is a serious condition that affects the muscles, causing them to become weaker and deteriorate over time. In Europe and North America, Duchenne affects six out of every 100,000 individuals.

“Globally, Duchenne is the most prevalent form of muscular dystrophy in children. It primarily affects boys, and it is estimated to occur in approximately one in every 3,500 to 5,000 live male births worldwide, resulting in about 20,000 new cases annually.” Find out more on page 20.

Derek Ansel’s article looks at accelerating innovation and access to rare disease treatments by advancing research through global collaborations and unified clinical trials. As he says: “Although individually rare, rare diseases are not rare when viewed collectively. Globally, approximately 300 million people live with a rare disease and many of them share common needs and experiences.

“Now, more than ever, there is a growing acknowledgment that solving rare disease challenges to expedite patients’ access to life-changing therapies requires regulatory, community and global stakeholder cooperation.” Turn to page 18 to find out more.

Our next issue, in June 2025, will look at assessing HCP engagement priorities and their clinical impact. If you would like to make your voice heard on this topic, please get in touch at sales@pmlive.com

I hope you enjoy this issue!

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