In this insightful discussion, Alexander Saint-Amand, Co-founder and CEO of Topography Health, tackles the complex issues surrounding U.S. clinical trials, particularly for marginalized groups. He highlights the logistical and financial barriers limiting access and the decline in physician participation. Saint-Amand passionately advocates for enhancing trust and infrastructure within the sector, emphasizing the potential of AI to streamline patient recruitment. Additionally, he discusses strategies for engaging underserved communities in meaningful clinical research.
Access to clinical trials is limited for marginalized groups, with less than 5% of lung cancer patients participating in studies.
Healthcare systems must view research as integral to patient care, requiring dedicated infrastructure to improve trial enrollment opportunities.
Deep dives
Challenges in Accessing Clinical Trials
Access to clinical trials in the U.S. is severely limited, especially for marginalized groups, with less than 5% of lung cancer patients able to participate in potentially life-saving studies. Many healthcare systems and community practices struggle financially to support research programs, often losing money or failing to recognize their losses. Specialized clinical research organizations (CROs) primarily cater to pharmaceutical companies, leaving healthcare providers without adequate support services. This disconnect results in a significant drop in doctor participation outside major academic centers, contributing to ongoing challenges in patient recruitment and access to clinical trials.
The Importance of Dedicated Research Teams
Successful clinical trials require dedicated teams within medical practices, akin to specialized departments like operating rooms or endoscopy suites. Many smaller healthcare systems cannot afford the necessary infrastructure or staff to run effective research programs, leading to suboptimal patient enrollment opportunities. Even well-resourced centers like major hospitals may struggle if they do not have a committed research division, drastically impacting trial availability for patients. This necessitates a shift in how healthcare systems view research as an integral aspect of patient care, rather than an ancillary service.
Utilizing Technology to Enhance Research Operations
The integration of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, can significantly streamline patient identification and recruitment in clinical trials. AI tools help navigate complex inclusion and exclusion criteria, targeting specific patient populations who meet study requirements. However, the effectiveness of such technology is contingent on having a well-structured and adequately supported research program in place. Building trust and credibility with pharmaceutical companies is vital, as they tend to prefer systems that demonstrate proven success in managing trials, which can enhance access to future studies.
In this week’s episode of “Podnosis,” we’re diving deep into the current landscape of clinical trials in the U.S.
Various stakeholders face a complicated web of challenges in the system. Many patients, particularly from marginalized groups, struggle to find and get into trials. Meanwhile, with the acceleration of decentralized trial sites throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, some research programs are struggling to keep up financially. Between specialized technology, staffing and compliance measures, there’s a lot that goes into ensuring success. And unfortunately, these hardships are enough to turn some physicians away from clinical research.
Alexander Saint-Amand is the co-founder and CEO of Topography Health, a company focused on helping medical practices and health systems conduct trials at scale. In this episode, he chats with Fierce Healthcare’s Anastassia Gliadkovskaya about what he sees as lacking in the industry today and what it will take to build out trust and capacity for the future.