Too often, people find participating in clinical trials not only difficult, but also unaligned with their actual needs and goals. To address this issue, we need to engage patients from the very beginning of the trial design process in order to ensure they feel empowered to participate in research and understand the impact it can have on people’s health. A more patient-centered and easily accessible approach can go a long way in making people feel less like human subjects and more like active, involved partners in the research process. In CTTI’s 2030 vision for clinical trials:

• Patients and patient organizations are fully integrated in the design and governance of clinical trials, helping to ensure the relevance of the research questions and completeness of outcomes.
• When possible, individuals are involved in clinical trials without going to designated clinical sites to enroll or participate.
• Home trials, hybrid trials, and technologies are maximally used to allow all potential participants to take part regardless of geography and mobility and to maximize efficiency and minimize costs.
• Every potential participant is aware of clinical trials relevant to them.
• Enrolled clinical trial participants reflect the diversity of the population expected to use the medical product.