WCG Talks Trials

In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, host Sandy Smith, senior vice president of clinical solutions and strategic partnering at WCG, dives into the highlights of the Florence Healthcare Research Revolution event. Sandy is joined by industry experts Andrea Bastek, vice president of innovation at Florence, and Lauren Sobocinski, senior vice president of strategic alliances at WCG, to discuss transformative insights from the event. Discover the latest trends shaping clinical research, including site engagement, protocol complexity, and effective sponsor-site relationships. Tune in for a compelling discussion on how collaborative efforts and innovative technologies are driving positive change in the clinical trial landscape. 

In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, host Kelly FitzGerald sits down with Dr. Currien MacDonald, Medical Chair Director at WCG, and Sara Reed, a participant in two psychedelic clinical trials, to explore the evolving landscape of psychedelics research. Dr. MacDonald shares his expertise on the growing acceptance of psychedelics in clinical settings, recent FDA updates, and the inner workings of ongoing trials. Later, Sara provides a firsthand account of her experiences as a trial participant, offering unique insights into how psychedelics are being tested as potential therapeutic options. Tune in to learn more about aligning clinical practice with patient experience in this emerging field.

In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, Geoff Schick, director of strategic site partnerships, joins our host Sandy Smith, senior vice president of clinical solutions and strategic partnering, to discuss the expansion of research site cancer portfolios.

Join Desiree Underwood-Williams, director of project management organization at WCG and guest Steve Smith, CEO of SteveSmithPlans LLC and facilitator of the WCG Patient Forum, as they recap the latest Patient Forum Focus Session on breakthrough science and community engagement. Discussion highlights include:

• The impact of medical diagnoses on families with Sickle cell disease and melanoma.
• New research in cell and gene therapy that’s directly impacting Sickle cell  disease and melanoma patients.
• New diversity laws shaping the future of drug development.
• Community engagement and how patients can get involved in their care.
• And more insights into the WCG Patient Forum, now in its fifth year.

Tune in to learn more about clinical research, community engagement, and the latest developments in patient care.

 In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by host Joanne Thomas, clinical reviewer and patient advocate at WCG, along with our guest Currien MacDonald, medical chair director at WCG. This episode covers the roles of IRB in ethical clinical research, frequently asked questions, and a general overview of the IRB’s role in clinical trials.

This episode of WCG Talks Trials addresses site feasibility challenges impacting the clinical trials industry. Join Michelle Yu, associate director of clinical strategy at WCG, and our guest Trevor Cole, director of client delivery, site and strategic operations for WCG, as we discuss approaches to adopt innovative feasibility and site start-up solutions.

Here are links to documents referenced in this episode:


Recommendations to Streamline and Standardize Clinical Trial Site Feasibility Assessments: An ASCO Research Statement

• Main Article: https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP.20.00821  
• PDF Data Supplement: https://society.asco.org/sites/new-www.asco.org/files/content-files/about-asco/documents/2020-ASCO-Site-Feasibility-Assessment-Statement-Data-Supplement-for-JCO-OP.pdf 

Join our Chief Analytics Officer Silvio Galea, along with Dr. Donna Snyder & Dr. Barbara Bierer to discuss opportunities on the ethical and regulatory challenges regarding artificial intelligence in clinical trials. The discussion is focused through the lens of the IRB review, and how a multi-stakeholder task force led by the Multi-Regional Clinical Trials (MRCT) Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and WCG will address the growing need for guidance in this rapidly evolving area of research.

In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by WCG clinical science experts as they discuss traditional measurement challenges for PTSD trials and how the use of an electronic CAPS-5 scale is improving administration and scoring errors. 

Tune in as we discuss the CAPS-5 scale, the opportunities and benefits of using an electronic version to help standardize scale administration and scoring across clinical research, and the promising results to date. 

In the most recent episode of WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by three industry experts, Amy Thue and Shelby Ward from WCG, and Russell Lampman from Merck to discuss the topic of optimizing vendor support, and ultimately the success, of clinical trials.

Listen in as we dive into feedback and perspectives from both the sponsor and vendor side of the table—for valuable take-aways and insights into how vendor support is best aligned across all stakeholders.