Emerging Investigators are Pivotal for Meeting Current, Future Drug Development Needs

We must engage, train and support more physicians as investigators to enable the opportunity for their patients to have access to clinical trials. As an industry, we should be adding anywhere from 10% to 20% new investigators every year to meet the patient access needs for clinical trials.

“By far, the most important quality in an investigator is a patient care-centered focus. These are individuals who are committed to considering all possible avenues for their patients’ care. In other words, they are open to CRAACO, clinical research as a care option. It comes down to their curiosity and willingness to expand their horizons beyond their routine practice. Of course, physicians can make additional money participating in research, but that cannot and should not be the central motivating factor. They must believe in the intrinsic value of clinical research as an important and viable care option for their patients […]

To meet this crucial imperative, industry must avoid bias when it comes to considering new investigators as that is how trials can extend into communities where the patient need truly exists. This entails a strategy that also embraces geographic diversity. Considering investigators from different regions—rural, suburban, urban—provides deeper access to a diversity of patients within those varied communities […] Our industry must be more open-minded to expanding to new geographic locations in order to broaden the reach of clinical research as a care option for patients.”

There is no question, engaging emerging investigators is vital for meeting current and future drug development needs, but how do we get there? “In order for clinical trials to achieve the physician and patient involvement needed to advance CRAACO, we know we have to pivot. Not tomorrow, but today.” And that starts with a single step. Hear more from Javara’s Tegan Mead, executive director of clinical operations in this recent MedCity News article.

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