Dan Schell articles

31. RWE Is Ready — Decision Making For Pharmaceuticals Isn't 4/1/2026

    Gorana Capkun of Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany discusses the growing role of real-world evidence in clinical trials, highlighting a gap between regulatory momentum and pharma adoption— and the challenge of turning data into better decisions.

32. CROs, AI, And The New Economics Of Outsourcing 3/23/2026

    AI and automation are starting to reshape clinical trial outsourcing, but not disrupt it — yet. As CRO consultant Joel White notes, revenues remain strong as trial activity rises, with efficiency gains showing up in margins rather than reduced demand. Large site networks may erode some site-facing work, but won’t replace full-service CROs. The real shift is in how value is captured, and the key signal to watch is whether CRO revenues begin to lag behind trial activity.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. 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. 

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. 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.