Leaders in Research, Oncology, and Advocacy to Advise on Patient-Centered, Systems-Level Solutions for Increasing Trial Participation
 

The national nonprofit Colorectal Cancer Alliance (Alliance) today announced its Clinical Trial Think Tank initiative and the esteemed members of its Advisory Committee.

The Alliance’s Clinical Trial Think Tank seeks to develop patient-centered, systems-level solutions for improving trials and increasing research participation broadly. Marginalized patients, who are frequently underrepresented in clinical research and often face disproportionate burdens of disease, will be a key focus. The think tank will uncover patient barriers, needs, preferences, and cultural gaps that lead to participant disparities. A collaborative summit with multidisciplinary experts will identify solutions based on that evidence and recent research.

The think tank’s Advisory Committee members — as research, oncology, and advocacy leaders with acute knowledge, individual learnings, and up-to-date assets — will ensure that the think tank builds on existing progress in the field, thereby accelerating and advancing its outcomes. 

“We are seeking solutions to transform trials and subsequent participation by truly meeting the patient and healthcare community where they are,” said Andrea Goodman, Senior Vice President of Patient Support and Research Strategy at the Alliance. “There are well-known gaps in clinical trial participation, and filling them will require big changes. The think tank will build on existing momentum and energy from across the field. We’re ready for a revolutionary approach that accelerates research and increases access to life-saving trial options for patients and their families.” 

Because people of different ages, races, and income levels may react differently to a particular therapy, clinical trial participants should represent the full breadth of potential patients. Demographic diversity in clinical trials continues to be a huge challenge. In fact, one out of every five clinical trials for cancer treatments fails simply because the trial cannot recruit the necessary number and type of patients. 

The Clinical Trial Think Tank Advisory Committee includes the following experts: 

• Ariel E. Aguiló, MD, Labcorp
• Tzvia Bader, TrialJectory
• Leigh M. Boehmer, PharmD, Association of Community Cancer Centers
• Dr. Sandra Casak, FDA
• Elise Horvath Walsh, MD, Mirati Therapeutics
• Krystin Larkin, Amgen
• Dr. Christopher Lieu, University of Colorado
• Patrick Mahoney, National Cancer Institute
• Bridgette McCullough, PhD, MSL, ACIRAH
• Dr. Marya Shegog, PhD, MPH, CHES, Lazarex Cancer Foundation
• Kim Thiboldeaux, KDT Alliances
• James Ward, MD, Seagen Inc.
• John Woerner, Colorectal Cancer Alliance Patient Co-Chair

About the Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colorectal cancer. Working with our nation of passionate allies, we diligently support the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; eagerly raise awareness of preventive screening; and continually strive to fund critical research. As allies in the struggle, we are fiercely determined to end colorectal cancer within our lifetime. For more information, visit colorectalcancer.org.