What You Should Know:
– myTomorrows, a global health technology company connecting patients and physicians with pre-approval treatments, published a new data report, “Searching for solutions: How physicians navigate trial access and technology.”
– Based on a survey of 100 U.S.-based healthcare professionals, the report reveals that 61% of physicians find the process of identifying and accessing relevant clinical trials difficult, and 72% specifically find clinical trial searches too time-consuming, ultimately delaying access to innovative treatments for patients.
Clinical Trial Challenges
Clinical trials are vital for advancing new treatments. However, with over 500,000 clinical trials registered globally and more than 8,000 drugs in development, the manual, time-consuming, and fragmented process of identifying and enrolling patients has become increasingly challenging for physicians. This not only slows patient recruitment and access to treatments but also delays the development of emerging therapies.
Challenges in Clinical Trial Matching and Referrals
U.S. physicians who recently searched for clinical trials, identified several major challenges:
- Insufficient Support Tools: 60% of physicians feel that available clinical trial pre-screening tools are either too complicated or insufficient, and 53% desire more precise search filters. Additionally, 23% noted that existing clinical trial registries are often inaccurate or outdated.
- Fragmented Referral Process: 56% of physicians find the referral process to be fragmented and slow, with 41% reporting they need to use multiple tools for a single referral. A further 43% highlight unclear communication with referral sites.
- Complexity Hinders Equitable Access: Physicians cited a lack of geographically relevant trials (47%), increased protocol complexity (40%), and complicated eligibility requirements (58%), which disproportionately affect underserved populations.
These findings underscore a widening gap between rapid medical innovation and the practical realities of clinical trial enrollment.
Demand for Streamlined, AI-Powered Solutions
Survey participants emphasized an urgent need for smarter, more integrated technologies to address these challenges:
- Demand for Streamlined Solutions: 72% of physicians expressed the need for a comprehensive overview of all relevant clinical trials, and 65% believe AI-assisted pre-screening tools could simplify the trial matching process.
- AI’s Potential: Generative AI tools are gaining traction, with 35% of physicians already using AI to support their clinical trial searches. Of these, 61% find these tools trustworthy, citing benefits such as faster searches and easier access to updated trial information.
- Increasing AI Adoption: Despite growing adoption, physicians believe further guidance would increase their use of AI. 69% emphasize the need for better education and training in AI use, 58% call for stronger privacy assurances, and 48% seek clearer regulatory oversight to improve AI adoption.
“Navigating the clinical trial landscape is often complex, time-consuming, and frustrating for both patients and physicians,” said Michel van Harten, MD, CEO of myTomorrows. “That’s why it’s essential that healthcare professionals and patients have trusted tools that make finding the right clinical trials faster, simpler, and more transparent. At myTomorrows, we are committed to elevating physicians’ voices and creating practical, human-centered solutions that expand access to treatment options. Our AI-powered technology streamlines every step of the process, connecting stakeholders in a more equitable clinical trial ecosystem, one that delivers meaningful impact for patients, both today and in the future.”For more information about the report, visit here
