GUEST COLUMNISTS

• Stock Options: Choosing The Right Viral Inoculum For An Early-Phase Norovirus Trial

  Viral stock can make or break a norovirus challenge study. Cocrystal Pharma's Sam Lee explains why inoculum quality, infectivity, and availability matter.

• The Reality Of Clinical Research Federal Funding Cuts

  Although the most catastrophic federal funding cuts didn't come to fruition, Pamela Garzone discusses where some impacts are being felt now and will be felt for years to come.

• Everyone Is A Consultant Now

  Jon Newton argues clinical research’s “vanishing middle” is giving rise to a more flexible workforce of consultants, specialists, and boutique firms.

• Rare Disease Study Gets A Boost From Crowdsourced Patient Reported Data

  Jen A. Levitt, MD, explains how crowdsourced patient-reported data and AI tools can compress rare disease research timelines and surface new signals.

• What The Sponsor–CRO Relationship Gets Wrong — On Both Sides

  The CRO's value is not execution alone. It is the depth of perspective that comes from having seen hundreds of trials across disease areas and regulatory environments. 

• The U.S. Clinical Trial Recruiting Pipeline Report – July 2026

  This WhichTrial report breaks down which drug trials are growing the most and the least, drugs that are no longer being studied, and new drugs to the clinic from June through July 2026.

• The Art And Skill Of Caring For Terminally Ill Patients In Clinical Research And Beyond

  When designing and conducting trials for terminally ill patients, Kamila Novak reminds researchers to act and speak with respect, warmth, and thoughtfulness.

• What The FDA's Latest Move On Psychedelics Means For Non-Hallucinogenic Drug Sponsors

  Taking another angle to the FDA focus on psychedelic research, Enveric Biosciences CEO Joseph Tucker, Ph.D., explores what the FDA’s moves mean for non-hallucinogenic drug sponsors.