You want to join a clinical trial. Here’s what to know about the hurdles.

Key Points:

• Despite high patient interest, clinical trial participation remains low, with 71% of chronic condition patients willing to join but two-thirds never having discussed trials with their healthcare providers; only 9% of adults report ever being invited to participate.
• Recruitment and retention in clinical trials are major challenges, with up to 86% of trials failing to meet recruitment targets on time, partly due to geographic, financial, and time barriers faced by patients.
• Efforts to improve participation include proposed legislation like the Clinical Trial Modernization Act, which would allow sponsors to cover medical and nonmedical costs for participants and exclude such support from federal taxes to protect income-based benefits.
• Finding suitable trials is difficult for both patients and doctors due to the complexity of eligibility criteria and trial availability, with most trials conducted at large urban centers, limiting access for many patients.
• Financial barriers remain significant, as patients often face deductibles, copays, and incidental expenses like travel and childcare; while some sponsors may cover these costs, patients are encouraged to proactively inquire about available financial support.