Author: Elena Filimonova, Chief Marketing Officer
Snapshot:
- Patient-centricity and technological integration. The industry is prioritizing making clinical trials easier for patients—reducing burdens of multiple tech systems and connecting patients and sites to trials through advanced technology.
- Corporate responsibility and efficiency will be important trends in 2025, including environmental sustainability, good governance, and innovative trial designs.
As we begin 2025, the clinical trials landscape continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. Between ongoing economic pressures, rapid technological advancement, and shifting patient expectations, the industry faces both challenges and opportunities. To better understand what lies ahead, I recently sat down with several key leaders from Suvoda:
- Rob Hummel, President and Chief Operating Officer
- John Ristuccia, Senior Vice President, Services
- E.K. Koh, Chief Product Officer
- Jean-Marie Aulnette, Chief Commercial Officer
- Ian Jennings, Executive Vice President, Enterprise eCOA Sales
Our discussion revealed three key themes that we believe will shape clinical trials in 2025 and beyond. Here's what we learned.
Patients first: Moving beyond the buzzwords
One thing became immediately clear in our conversation: patients will continue to be front and center within the industry. “Without patients, there are no trials,” Jean-Marie reminded us. “Sponsors simply can't afford to lose a patient. Trials need to be attractive to patients and easier to participate in.”
“We're talking about humans here—people in need of treatment who are making a significant contribution to research,” Rob shared to build upon the point. “Do we really need to ask participants for so many extra steps? The industry is finally focusing on making things easier for patients.”
John offered a reality check that resonated with all of us: while we've been talking about patient-centricity for years, we haven't seen enough action. But that's changing. “The demand is there,” he noted, “and sponsors are feeling the competition to improve the patient experience.”
But we can't look at patient needs in isolation. Ian pointed out, “You can't separate patient needs from site needs—both sides of the coin need to be addressed when delivering solutions. For years, our industry developed patient tools and site tools as separate entities. But the magic happens when we can better connect patients and sites to trials, while still delivering the sponsor's results.”
Putting patients first includes building technology that meets people where they are. E.K. explained the potential, “There is a real opportunity to help patients and sites alike. They are already overwhelmed by using so many disparate systems. By connecting the dots for all of them, through a simpler interface, their lives will be so much easier.”
Shared responsibility: Good governance takes center stage
Patient-centricity is one key component of a more visible industry focus on corporate responsibility. “Take a closer look at the top 25 pharmaceutical websites,” Ian suggested. “You'll see clear pillars emerging—patients, diversity and inclusion, advancing health, sustainability, and good governance. Sponsors want to know that we, as solution providers, care about the same things they do.” When vendors, sponsors, and sites align around these core pillars, together we can create effective partnerships and achieve shared impact.
“Many large pharmaceutical companies are embracing ESG [environment, social, governance] goals and impact measures,” Ian continued. “They are essentially the vanguard of what everyone knows we should be doing and are pushing the industry forward in the right direction. At Suvoda, we’re already deeply aligned with these values, so it’s a natural fit.”
Environmental sustainability, in particular, is gaining momentum. Jean-Marie shared some encouraging examples, pointing to countries like Japan, where governments are offering incentives to simplify approvals and introduce technologies like eConsent. These changes aren't just good for the environment—they're making trials more efficient too.
The efficiency challenge: Doing more with less
Sponsors and sites are under pressure to find efficiencies whenever possible due to increasing trial complexity and post-pandemic industry shifts. “Efficiency, cost reductions, and shortened timelines are all coming up as top metrics in governance meetings,” John shared in response to Rob, who said, “We've been hearing this from sponsors, and it's only becoming more center stage as financial pressures grow.”
Jean-Marie offered some interesting context here. During the pandemic, companies like Pfizer and Moderna saw unprecedented revenues. “Now they're under pressure to deliver the same returns but with shrinking budgets,” he explained. “Innovative trial designs and cost-effective solutions are becoming non-negotiable.”
One bright spot in the efficiency discussion is the rapid adoption of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) technology. As John pointed out, prior to the pandemic the industry was still debating whether BYOD was viable. Now it's becoming the norm. Ian added that most sponsors are taking a practical approach: “We're seeing hybrid approaches where provisioned devices and BYOD coexist. It's not an all-or-nothing approach.”
Looking Ahead to 2025
As our conversation drew to a close, Ian summed things up by returning to an important Suvoda touchstone: “The Suvoda culture is deeply people-focused, which aligns perfectly with pharma’s emphasis on people. While we are a technology business, we bring a more human-centered approach to what we do.”
While none of us have a crystal ball, one thing is clear: 2025 will be a year of significant change for clinical trials. The good news? The industry seems ready to embrace that change, keeping patients at the center while pushing for greater efficiency and sustainability. It's an exciting time to be in this field, and I'm looking forward to seeing how these trends develop in the months ahead.
Author
Elena Filimonova
Chief Marketing Officer,
Suvoda
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