Protas’ senior team share what they want to see change in clinical trials this year.
Protas was established to transform clinical trials for the benefit of patients and health systems worldwide.
This includes challenging the status quo and applying innovative approaches to trial design and delivery, technology and policy development.
At the start of a new year, some of Protas’ senior team share what’s on their wish list for clinical trials.
Richard Haynes, Principal Research Physician:
“I wish that all trials would consider carefully the data they require and not collect data for its own sake or ‘just in case’. Trials must put the participant at the centre of decisions.”
Gaynor Dalton, Director of Information Security & Governance:
“My wish is for the way we communicate with participants and the public about clinical trials and their use of health data to change. Participant information should become much more than a box-ticking exercise and communications on progress and outcomes of the trial should be widely publicised and accessible.”
John Etheridge, Head of Portfolio Delivery:
“My wish for 2026 is that professional project and operations management is seen as a capability to be invested in. Without it, we’ll continue watching trial costs escalate, timelines extend, and common disease research become even less economically viable.”
Kevin Hollingworth, Head of Platform Development & Operation:
“We need trust before innovation with respect to AI in clinical trials. I’m excited by AI adoption, but it must start with explainability, governance and human oversight.”
Emma Law, Head of Clinical Quality Assurance:
“Clinical trials that prioritise equity, diversity and inclusion by minimising unnecessary participant burden in line with the principles of ICH GCP R3. By adopting proportionate and participant-centred approaches to data collection, clinical research can better respect participants’ time and well-being while upholding ethical and scientific integrity.”
Isabel Hope-Urwin, Head of Marketing and Communications:
“On participant experience, we could learn a lot from other industries where customer service is front and centre. How can we make trials simpler, convenient and more personalised for participants? How do we make sure participants not only complete the trial but actually have an excellent experience along the way? I would like to see participants truly valued and prioritised. To do this, PPIE is essential.”
Jen Dumbleton, Head of Trial Management & Product Owner:
“My wish is for AI to genuinely make a difference to how efficiently we can set up and run high-quality trials, so that we can discover more medicines to help more patients.”