Clinical Trials Day is a great opportunity every year to take a moment to pause, and really think about the fantastic work we do as an industry, where we started, and where we hope to go.
Even the date harks back to the past of clinical trials, referencing the start date of the first known clinical trial — a trial on scurvy by James Lind in 1774. While clinical trials have come a long way in the last 250 years, there’s no denying they’ve had a chequered history. Now, we are focused on reversing some of the mistrust that remains towards the industry, and ensuring that research is conducted fairly, ethically, and inclusively. It isn’t always an easy task though, and there are so many people across the industry who are working tirelessly to ensure that clinical trial experiences continue to improve.
We asked some of the COUCH team about their role in the industry, and what they think we can do to elevate the bar for clinical trials.
So, ultimately, what can we do to drive the mission of improving clinical trials forward? Together, we can…
Raise our voices
Frequently, people forget to take a step back to reflect on the fantastic work that they’ve done, and are doing. On Clinical Trials Day, it’s good to come together as an industry to celebrate our achievements, and to keep sight of the goal that ties us all together: to improve lives.
Elevate the bar
There are always ways that we can improve as an industry. Our team all agree — the priority for improvement should be involving patient voices as early on in clinical research development as possible. We need to work together as one team — agencies and clinical research organisations, pharmaceutical companies, policy makers, patient groups — to ensure that participation at all stages is accessible to all.
Be for everyone
Any progress we make will never be enough, so long as it doesn’t include everyone. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is something that has slowly been improving, and we’re proud of the work that the industry is doing towards this. But, there’s no time to become complacent — there’s still lots to do, and we’re determined to do it.
Inspire the future
Fresh perspectives are crucial to success, so as an industry, we want as much new talent as possible. To achieve this, clinical trials should be promoted more in the education system, and we should continue to drive forward and celebrate the positive work we do within communities. Working with communities is crucial, and has a positive impact for both them, and on a wider level. As a result, we will continue to inspire younger generations.
So, this Clinical Trials Day, we are celebrating the work that the industry has done and is doing, while also reflecting on how we can do even better, and drive ourselves to create the best patient outcomes possible.
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