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

Key Points:

• Despite high patient interest in clinical trials, with 71% of chronic condition patients willing to participate, two-thirds have never discussed trials with their healthcare providers, and only 9% have been invited to participate.
• Clinical trial recruitment and retention remain major challenges, with up to 86% of trials failing to meet recruitment targets on time, and financial, geographic, and time barriers complicating participation.
• Efforts to improve participation include proposed legislation like the Clinical Trial Modernization Act, which would allow sponsors to cover medical and nonmedical expenses and protect participants from losing income-based benefits.
• Finding and enrolling in a suitable trial is difficult due to limited trial availability at local treatment centers, complex eligibility criteria, and the burden on physicians to identify appropriate trials for patients.
• While trial sponsors cover direct trial costs, patients often face significant incidental expenses such as travel, lodging, and childcare, which can deter participation; patients are encouraged to proactively inquire about available financial support.