Rethinking Sponsor Relationships With Patient Advocacy Groups

By Caroline Melendez Daigle

Patient advocacy groups (PAGs) serve as vital bridges between patients and clinical research, providing trusted education, support, and pathways to trial participation. While their potential as recruitment partners is significant, many sponsor-PAG relationships remain fragmented, often limited to one-off sponsorships or trial-specific programs that deliver only incremental value. Traditional approaches requiring sponsors to negotiate individually with multiple groups are inefficient, resource-intensive, and difficult to scale.

Network-based engagement models are reshaping this landscape by consolidating access to diverse advocacy groups through a single coordinated platform. Such models allow sponsors to connect with pre-qualified, motivated patients at scale while preserving the trust and authenticity patients place in their advocacy organizations. This approach not only accelerates recruitment but also reduces administrative overhead and expands opportunities for patients across both common and rare conditions.

Sponsors benefit from faster enrollment, higher-quality referrals, and streamlined workflows, while advocacy groups strengthen their role as trusted partners in the patient journey. Importantly, misconceptions that formal agreements or financial transactions are always required often limit collaboration unnecessarily. In reality, flexible engagement models respect varying organizational needs while creating sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships.