Five Predictions For Clinical Research In 2025

By Mo Punjwani, Business Operations & Strategy at Mural Health

The clinical trial industry is moving beyond incremental improvements to embrace AI-driven efficiency. Sponsors and CROs that modernize their operations with AI-powered protocol design and automated financial workflows will accelerate trial timelines, reduce costs, and enhance regulatory success. With financial barriers remaining a primary obstacle to enrollment innovative sponsors are implementing real-time payments, pre-paid travel budgets, and financial transparency as competitive advantages. AI-driven budgeting and predictive site-cost modeling are further streamlining startup processes.

Regulatory agencies are also driving change, with the FDA expected to mandate real-time participant experience data for submissions, pushing sponsors to adopt AI-enabled feedback systems that identify trial inefficiencies early. In 2025, AI-powered adaptive protocols will redefine study design, shifting the industry from rigid, pre-planned models to flexible, real-world-optimized trials. These advancements signal a new era where financial enablement, AI integration, and patient-centered design are no longer optional but essential to clinical trial success.