Dan Schell articles

  1. Wanted: More Women For Clinical Trials 3/13/2026

    A new national survey from UPMC’s Center for Connected Medicine examines why women remain underrepresented in clinical trials. The research highlights key barriers such as fear of side effects, time and travel burdens, and limited awareness about how trials work. In a conversation with UPMC’s Nicole Ansani, we explore what sites and sponsors can do to make trials more accessible and appealing to women.

  2. Do We Still Need To "Save" Our Sites? 3/11/2026

    Budget negotiations, sponsor expectations, operational pressures, and burnout all remained front-and-center concerns at this year's Save Our Sites (SOS) conference. In this recap, I share key takeaways from the sessions I attended — including practical budgeting advice, sponsor “turn-offs,” and a few unbelievable (but true) sponsor horror stories — along with why gatherings like SOS still matter for the site community.

  3. Why Africa Could Be The Next Frontier For Clinical Trials 3/6/2026

    Africa hosts only about 3% of global clinical trials despite representing roughly 20% of the world’s population. Tariro Makadzange, founder and CEO of the Africa Clinical Research Network (ACRN), explains how the organization aims to build a continent-wide clinical trial platform and increase that share to 15% over the next decade.

  4. How Keenova Reignited A Stalled Trial 3/3/2026

    When a difficult-to-enroll Phase 3 study stalled, Keenova found momentum not through new technology but through relationships, collaboration, and fair site support. By listening to site feedback, rethinking communication, empowering peer learning, and revisiting compensation, the team transformed engagement and enrollment. 

  5. Tekton's CEO On The Growing Power Of Site Networks 2/27/2026

    Site networks continue to gain momentum as organizations emphasize operational consistency, shared infrastructure, and scale. Tekton Research CEO Corey Collins discusses how collaboration, sponsor dialogue, and real-world pressures like recruitment challenges and study delays are shaping the model — while it remains too early to know whether network-scale approaches will deliver meaningful efficiencies for sponsors.

  6. Say It Loud: Clinical Research Needs New Voices 2/26/2026

    At SCOPE, I caught up with Denali Rose, co-host of the Note to File podcast, to talk about why clinical research still struggles to communicate — and why that has to change. She’s pushing for more honest conversations and new voices across sponsors, sites, and vendors, and while progress is slow, she sees signs the silos are finally starting to crack.

  7. Site-Centric First, Patient-Centric Always 2/25/2026

    At the 2026 SCOPE Summit, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Wouter Daniels argued that true patient centricity begins with site centricity. Daniels shared how Boehringer’s engagement efforts have accelerated studies by months and saved millions — proof that patient focus delivers measurable business and operational value.

  8. Clinical Trials Need Fewer Barriers And More Humans 2/24/2026

    At the SCOPE Summit, Tina Karunaratne and Elizabeth Tabor discussed the gaps that still limit clinical trial access — from patient navigation and education to the need for real human support alongside AI tools. They also highlighted the importance of networking, professional visibility, and moving beyond conference talking points to actionable solutions that connect both patients and the people who make research possible.

  9. Forget More Clinical Tech, We Need More Adoption 2/23/2026

    At SCOPE Summit, Craig Lipset shared a blunt assessment of clinical trial innovation: the tools exist, regulators are engaged, and digital approaches offer clear quality advantages — yet adoption remains the industry’s biggest hurdle. From evolving FDA inspection expectations to the normalization (and lingering misconceptions) of decentralized trials, Lipset argues progress will depend less on new technology and more on scaling what already works.

  10. Joe Dustin: Sites Are Driving Clinical Tech Evolution 2/20/2026

    At SCOPE Summit 2026, Joe Dustin shared why clinical trial sites are emerging as the next drivers of innovation. As sites digitize operations and push back against the burden of sponsor-mandated systems, new models like “bring your own technology” and seamless digital data flow aim to reduce duplication, speed startup, and improve both coordinator and patient experiences.