Focus on Patients

1. 4 Questions AbbVie Asked To Create More Diverse Clinical Trials 1/17/2020

   Over the five years I have been at AbbVie, the idea of diversity and inclusivity in healthcare was especially relevant to our clinical trials in uterine fibroids. We successfully centered patients in our program by understanding their needs, concerns, and desires, which enabled us to recruit and retain women representative of the patient landscape in this disease state. How? We asked ourselves four important questions.

2. Changing Your Corporate Culture To Hear The Concerns Of Patients 1/2/2020

   We can and should celebrate advances in research and medicine that fundamentally changed the lives of people in my past pulmonary practice years in New York, allowing them to hope and live with HIV infection, lung cancer, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, cystic fibrosis, and more.

3. What Janssen Learned From Listening To Patients In Pre-Approval Access 12/17/2019

   Patient-centricity is a much-used buzz phrase these days; however, the truth is that often the patient voice is neither heard nor heeded when creating initiatives to help them.  This can be particularly true in the pre-approval access space, where seriously ill patients who have exhausted all options are seeking access to potentially lifesaving medicines. In 2018, a first of its kind meeting was convened to hear the global voice of patients in pre-approval access (PAA).  In the EU, PAA is often known as compassionate use (CU), expanded access (EA), or managed access (MA), where the regulatory landscape is widely diverse in its requirements for seeking this form of access.

4. Shared Decision Making & Its Impact On Clinical Trial Consideration 12/3/2019

   Patient participation forms the backbone of clinical research. Surveys reveal that up to 80 percent of patients say they are “somewhat or very willing” to join a clinical trial, yet enrollment levels remain low. For example, only 8 percent of cancer patients ever enroll in a clinical trial, despite substantial resources and efforts being invested in clinical trial advertising, transportation support, and other recruitment and retention activities.

5. Putting Patients First In Clinical Trial Designs — A Multifaceted Approach 11/19/2019

   Patient enrollment is critical to the success of a clinical trial and yet clinical trial designs are not always conducive to the participation of cancer patients. According to a study by Dr. Joseph Unger and colleagues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, more than half (55.6 percent) of all cancer patients do not participate in trials because no appropriate trial is available for the patient’s cancer type and stage at the center where they are being treated. Further, when a trial was available, an additional 21.5 percent were ineligible due to exclusion criteria.

6. Hybrid Decentralized Trials: Using Technology To Create More Patient-Centric Studies 11/5/2019

   While it is not a new trend, the spotlight on digital innovation has grown brighter over the last year, with executives from all sides of the clinical research industry seeking technology solutions to improve the clinical trial experience for sites and patients alike. It was a recurring theme at this year’s Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) Global Site Solutions Summit, with several sessions that addressed technological advancement and attendee feedback requesting more discussion on the topic at future Summits.

7. Collaborating With Patients: 3 Key Considerations For Drug Sponsors 10/10/2019

   Historically, patient involvement has been vital in the design and execution of clinical trials, but in recent years there has been an increased desire to engage patients from start to finish during the drug development process. Today, patients are empowered by technological advances that have given them access to more information than ever before, especially regarding diseases and drug development.

8. The Patient Perspective On Patient Centricity: Insights From A Veteran Of 5 Clinical Trials 10/8/2019

   Those who know me understand the value I put on bringing the voice of the patient and caregiver into the drug development process. They also know that I believe that today’s terminology — phrases like “patient-centricity,” “patient at the center,” and other sexy mottos — is sometimes used by organizations to show the world that the patient is at the forefront of everything they do. But are they really? Is patient feedback on a protocol enough to prove that their voices are heard? Is providing input on an informed consent what a patient really wants to do? Maybe.

9. 8 Steps To Achieve The Cultural Change Needed For Co-Creation With Patients 10/1/2019

   Now more than ever, patients are informed and active about their health. Technological advances are equipping patients with real-time health data. At-home genetic testing kits have the potential to reveal future health risks. And the internet can help increase health literacy and connect patients with other patients. These, and other tools, can empower patients to take control of their health while enhancing their ability to engage with the healthcare ecosystem.

10. An Inside Look At Novo Nordisk’s Disease Experience Expert Panel (DEEP) Model 9/17/2019

    Novo Nordisk recognized that if it wanted to develop innovative treatments for patients living with chronic diseases, it was essential to form meaningful partnerships in which patients’ expertise, knowledge, and experience are included and put into action. It was this radical shift in thinking that led to the creation of the Novo Nordisk Disease Experience Expert Panel (DEEP), a network of patient experts and advocates.