In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by Elizabeth Weeks-Rowe, CCRA, author of The CRA’s Guide to Monitoring Clinical Research, 6th Edition.

Led by WCG Director of Publications and Content, Leslie Ramsey, the discussion will delve into the ways the clinical trials industry has become more complex and technologically focused and the challenges clinical research associates (CRAs) face as monitors of clinical trials.

Host: Leslie Ramsey, Director of Publications and Content, WCG

 Participant: Elizabeth Weeks-Rowe, Independent Clinical Research Consultant

In this episode of WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by MAGI@home Steering Committee members, Jennifer Peterson, Director, Head of Clinical Quality at M3 Wake Research, and Geoffrey Schick, Director, Strategic Site Partnerships at WCG. 

Led by Carmin Gade, Chief Marketing Officer at WCG, the discussion will delve into the insights and value MAGI events provide that enable attendees to achieve success in their roles and professional development.

This episode of WCG Talks Trials, hosted by Kelly Fitzgerald, Executive IRB Chair and Vice President of IBC Affairs at WCG, dives into the topic of diversity and inclusion with technology in decentralized clinical trials (DCTs). The episode explores the transformative opportunities that DCTs present for addressing diversity gaps in clinical research. The discussion features a panel of experts, including Otis Johnson, former Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability Officer at Clario; Archana Sah, a seasoned clinical development leader with a focus on oncology and healthcare technology; and Ken McCann, a physician with a background in pediatrics and a keen interest in social determinants of health. The panelists share insights on how DCTs can improve accessibility, overcome barriers, and enhance representation in clinical trials, emphasizing the potential for these trials to be a game-changer in making clinical research more equitable and inclusive. 

Guests:

• Archana Sah MS (Pharm.) PMP 
• Otis Johnson, PhD, MPA
• Ken McCann, MD 

Listen to the latest episode of WCG Talks Trials to hear from experts on the importance of patient advocacy in clinical research and key takeaways from WCG's 2023 Patient Forum. We'll summarize how the patient forum elevates the voices of those changing drug development for the better and recap breakthroughs and best practices shared during the most recent event.

Discover more about patient and researcher collaboration, expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in trials, and the latest advocacy-driven technology, science, and policy breakthroughs leading to modernized clinical research.  

Guests:

• Desiree Underwood-Williams, PMP, CLSSBB, Director, Project Management Office, WCG
• Steve Smith, President, Patient Advocacy, WCG 

Listen to the latest episode of WCG Talks Trials to hear from experts on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical research and how intersectionality plays a role in promoting DE&I. We'll discuss why diversity is pivotal for comprehending the full spectrum of clinical care mechanisms and review effective DE&I strategies being deployed today. Discover how communities can be more actively engaged in clinical research and hear real-world examples of success stories in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within clinical research.

Moderator:

• Scott J. Hunter, PhD - Senior Scientific Expert, Neurodevelopmental and Rare Pediatric Diseases, WCG

Speakers:

• Sonya Dinizulu, PhD - Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago 
• Desiree Underwood-Williams, PMP, CLSSBB – Director, Project Management Office, WCG 

Join WCG Talks Trials podcast host Kelly Fitzgerald, PhD, in a riveting dialogue with guest expert Currien MacDonald, MD, as they unravel the nuances of "Psychedelics in Research: Ethical and Medical Perspectives." 

Dr. MacDonald, with a solid foundation in family medicine and clinical trials administration, guides listeners through a grounded exploration of psychedelic substances. In this episode, they demystify the realm of psychedelics, encompassing both dissociative and classic varieties, such as LSD and MDMA. 

As the conversation delves into ongoing research, the potential applications of these compounds in treating mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder come to the fore. The dialogue doesn't shy away from probing the ethical dimensions surrounding psychedelic research, addressing concerns about study design, potential abuse, and the intricate balance between benefits and risks. This insightful podcast offers an engaging journey into the evolving field of psychedelic research, shedding light on its medical potential and the ethical considerations that guide its path.

In episode three of WCG Talks Trials, two WCG experts discuss key findings from the 2023 Avoca State of the Industry Report, which provides a 360-degree view on motivators and deterrents to clinical trial participation.

Listen in as we dive into feedback from perspectives across all clinical research stakeholders — sponsors, providers, sites, and patients — for valuable take-aways and insights into the trial experience.

Speakers:

Crissy MacDonald, PhD, Vice President, Client Delivery, WCG Avoca

Gina DiCindio, Associate Director, Industry and Client Research, WCG Avoca

In episode two of WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by two WCG experts to discuss overcoming common enrollment challenges and how DE&I, technology, and protocol design factor into enrollment success.

Listen in as we delve into the critical topic of common enrollment barriers in clinical trials, how to improve enrollment by focusing on DE&I efforts, the importance of site-centric and patient-centric technologies, and how thoughtful protocol design plays a significant role in enrollment success.

Speakers:

• Dawn Sauro, Chief Growth Officer, WCG
• Jamie Harper, MHA, CCRP - Vice President, Site Solutions & Engagement at WCG
• Tyler Bye - Director, Site Solutions & Product Strategy at WCG

In the first episode of our new podcast series, WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by three industry experts, Lisa Ballance from Virginia Commonwealth University, John Musser from Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, and Dan Otap from Genentech, to discuss the topic of overcoming site challenges and addressing site burden.

Listen in as we discuss the results of WCG’s recently published 2023 Clinical Research Site Challenges Survey Report, gain insights from our guests on solutions their organizations have implemented to reduce site burden, and share perspectives on how sites, sponsors, and CROs can work to improve site and trial efficiency.

Speakers: 

• Sandy Smith, RN, MSN, AOCN 
  Senior Vice President, Clinical Solutions and Strategic Partnerships at WCG Clinical
• Lisa Richman Balance
  Associate Vice President for Research Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University 
• John Musser
  Senior Director, Clinical Research Administration at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
• Dan Otap
  Principal, Alliance and Partnerships Lead at Genentech

From a career devoted to finding better ways to connect patient volunteers to clinical trials, Lisa LaLuna knows why the public needed an online search tool that is easier to use than the traditional methods of access.

“Members of the public often want to find a trial to access the latest medicine, or help a family member, or just to participate as a healthy volunteer to further medical research.  Pharmaceutical companies that run clinical trials of course want to enroll patients so their research can be successful.  In spite of this mutual desire to work together, patients and trial organizers often cannot find each other,” Lisa explains.

Some trials are stopped because they cannot enroll enough people and others are delayed because enrollment takes too long. In this unfortunate scenario – one that happens too often – this slows down the development of treatments and cures that patients depend on.

Lisa explains the importance of this search tool in providing a simple, fast way to discover trials specific to a disease, a location, and the personal characteristics of volunteers being sought.

“You can even opt in to be notified when more trials are posted, and send a message to the local trial site to request contact to learn more and possibly be screened for qualification purposes. “ Lisa explains. 

This free website can be found by anyone at centerwatch.com/clinical-trials.

Visitors to the site will find basic information about what a clinical trial is and why someone would want to participate.

Patient Advocacy groups are providing this website to their members to educate them about the value of clinical trials and where to find them, in order to support the search for cures. Patient groups like the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the rare disease group The Rett Syndrome Foundation are enthusiastic about how their use of this tool is helping them help their communities of patients and their families. 

“Clinical trial search tools have been too complicated in the past and we sought to create a tool that is simple and fast so anyone can use it,”  Lisa explains. “Seeing the adoption by Patient Advocacy Groups is most satisfying.”

Lisa LaLuna of WCG Patient Advocacy has thirty years working in clinical trials and is a passionate advocate for easing the search for trials for those wishing to volunteer.