Partnering & Outsourcing Editorial

  1. With CROs, Decide What You Can Actually Manage 10/1/2026

    Industry veteran Peter Fredette explores how small biotechs can rethink CRO outsourcing by balancing cost, operational needs, and internal oversight. Before choosing a CRO model, sponsors must honestly assess which services they need — and how many partners they can realistically manage.

  2. Small Biotech Can Outsource The Work, But Not The Thinking 9/24/2026

    Robert Goldman explains why small biotechs can outsource clinical trial work—but never accountability. His advice on CRO oversight and responsible AI adoption shows how lean sponsors can gain efficiency without surrendering the judgment needed to spot risks and protect their programs.

  3. 5 Ways To Enrich The Clinical Trial Ecosystem 9/4/2026

    Sponsors must treat sites, PIs, and patients as connected parts of a living clinical trial ecosystem. Here are five ways to help make that happen.

  4. Everyone Is A Consultant Now 8/19/2026

    Jon Newton argues clinical research’s “vanishing middle” is giving rise to a more flexible workforce of consultants, specialists, and boutique firms.

  5. What The Sponsor–CRO Relationship Gets Wrong — On Both Sides 8/17/2026

    The CRO's value is not execution alone. It is the depth of perspective that comes from having seen hundreds of trials across disease areas and regulatory environments. 

  6. 5 Signs Your Clinical Trial Needs Outside Help 8/13/2026

    Could you use some outside help? The right outside partner can bring the expertise, capacity, and perspective needed to get studies back on track.

  7. Why Vendor Oversight Breaks Down At Handoffs 8/11/2026

    Is a vendor handoff really complete once the file is sent? Not quite. Sponsors still need context, ownership, and evidence to keep trials moving.

  8. Delays At The Handoff: Where Breakdowns Occur Among The Sponsor, CRO, And Site 7/23/2026

    Consultant Jason C. Bork identifies 10 of the most common points at which a trial can break down before and after patient recruitment.

  9. From The Lab To Regulations As An IRB Specialist 7/17/2026

    In this 8-question Q&A, Ribu Goyal, an IRB specialist and scientific reviewer at the Mayo Clinic Office for Human Research Protection, talks about everything from the details of her job to how sponsors could improve their collaboration with their IRBs. 

  10. The Profit Margin Double Standard That Needs To Change 7/10/2026

    We expect pharmaceutical companies to have sizable profit margins, but we collectively scoff at research sites for achieving the same. Maria P. Ladd explores this difference in expectations and why it needs to change for the sake of the industry.