Gain new insights into challenges affecting investigator retention and potential solutions

Evidence shows that the pool of qualified clinical investigators in the United States is shrinking, while at the same time a high percentage of investigators are likely to stop leading trials after conducting just a single drug study—trends that threaten the quality and efficiency of U.S. regulatory trials.

On April 5, 2017, CTTI convened an expert meeting to explore this issue and others related to clinical trial investigator turnover and retention. A comprehensive meeting summary presents survey and interview data gathered from current and former trial investigators and explores approaches that can help investigators overcome the practical challenges of conducting clinical trials.

CTTI’s Investigator Community Project was created to better understand why some clinical investigators remain actively engaged in clinical research but others decide to leave it after a single experience. CTTI is applying these insights to develop strategies that can improve investigator retention and reduce turnover, ultimately leading to more efficient, higher-quality clinical trials. The multi-stakeholder project team will continue to review evidence and incorporate consensus findings from the expert meeting as it develops recommendations and other products that can be used to strengthen the investigator community.