Podcasts by WCG Talks Trials

Amplifying Patient Voices to Advance Clinical Research: The Importance of Patient Advocacy from 2023-11-13T14:00

Listen to the latest episode of WCG Talks Trials to hear from experts on the importance of patient advocacy in clinical resea...

The Importance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Intersectionality in Clinical Research from 2023-10-27T17:00

Listen to the latest episode of WCG Talks Trials to hear from experts on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical research and how intersectionality plays a role in promoti...

Unlocking Site Potential: Reducing Site Burden and Enhancing Clinical Trial Efficiency from 2023-07-16T06:00

In the first episode of our new podcast series, WCG Talks Trials, we are joined by three industry experts, Lisa Ballance from Virginia Commonwealth University, John Musser from Florida Cancer Sp...

Connecting Patients to Trials: Bernadette Siddiqi of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research from 2020-12-16T14:00

Bernadette Siddiqi, associate director of research partnerships at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research talks about how they give members of the public access to the Fox Trial ...

Ros Cheetham, Pharmaceutical Industry Professional, Volunteers for a COVID-19 Trial from 2020-12-01T12:00

After more than 25 years working to plan and conduct clinical trials at pharmaceutical companies, Ros Cheetham decided to put herself into the patient role: She volunteered to participate in a C...

On the Future of Movement Disorder Trials: Part 4 of WCG’s Transforming CNS Trials Series from 2020-10-21T10:00

Movement disorder trials have always been demanding. Now, sponsors face an additional challenge: How do you ensure data integrity in the era of remote clinical trials? In this podcast, Bob Daghe...

Prostate Cancer Survivor Bryce Olson’s Message: “Sequence Me!” from 2020-10-08T15:00

As a global strategist for Intel’s Health and Life Sciences Group, Bryce Olson had an up close view of innovation happening in the lab—especially in terms of genomic sequencing and gene therapy....

On the Future of Depression Trials: Part 3 of WCG’s Transforming CNS Trials Series from 2020-09-30T14:00

In major depressive disorder, researchers have used remote assessments for decades. As a result, many of these studies have had an easier time adapting to the new clinical trial landscape. But t...

LaTasha H. Lee, PhD, MPH: Advocating for health equity, advancing sickle cell disease research from 2020-09-29T15:00

LaTasha Lee, PhD, MPH’s path to becoming a sickle cell disease (SCD) researcher and policy advocate began as a child. Because the SCD trait ran in her family, she became a patient advocate while...

Jeffrey Borghoff: Finding Joy and Purpose after an Early-onset Alzheimer’s Diagnosis from 2020-09-24T08:00

At 51, Jeffrey Borghoff was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. What would devastate many people turned Borghoff into an advocate. The former software architect and developer is now a national s...

On the Future of Schizophrenia Trials: Part 2 of WCG’s Transforming CNS Trials Series from 2020-09-21T13:00

Remote assessments have become a necessity across CNS trials, but some areas are more complicated than others. Schizophrenia provides one such example; the risk of variability is high, and spons...

Lisa Deck: Young Stroke Survivor Transforms Life-altering Challenge into Purpose-driven Advocacy for Others from 2020-09-16T10:00

Lisa Deck was a healthy 21-year old a week away from college graduation when her first stroke put her in the hospital. She barely made it to her graduation ceremony. She suffered two more stroke...

The Case for Centralized Monitoring: Optimizing Data Quality and Risk Management with Linda Sullivan and Steve Young from 2020-08-31T14:00

How can CROs and sponsors detect potential problems and issues in clinical trial conduct and data quality? That’s one of the critical issues discussed in Steve Young’s interview with Linda Sulli...

Michael Poku, MD, MBA: Implements solutions to improve minority representation in clinical trials from 2020-08-28T09:00

For many of the same reasons underrepresented populations lack access to appropriate healthcare services, they are also left out of clinical trials. The problem is widely known, but solutions ha...

Dana Deighton: Esophageal Cancer Patient and Persistent Activist For Her Own Survival from 2020-08-27T14:00

Dana Deighton, an esophageal cancer survivor, shares her diagnostic odyssey of false starts and life-threatening detours.

Deighton had always been healthy—she didn’t smoke, didn’t drink...

Striving for Reliability: Optimizing Patient Report Data through World-Class Design Management with Linda Sullivan, Nat Katz, and Art Morales from 2020-08-27T09:00

Can patients be trained to report their symptoms more accurately? That’s one of the key topics discussed in Nat Katz’s and Art Morales’ interview with Linda Sullivan, MBA, Executive Direc...

The Upside of Centralized Monitoring During a Pandemic: Linda Sullivan, Duncan Hall, and Rachel Oakley on Optimizing Clinical Trials through Innovative RBQM Technology from 2020-08-19T08:00

How are clinical trial companies pivoting to implement Risk-Based Quality Management programs during the pandemic? That’s one of the deep dives explored in Duncan Hall’s and Rachel Oakley...

Get Rid of Those Silos: Linda Sullivan, Artem Andrianov, and Johann Proeve on How To Optimize Clinical Trials through RBQM from 2020-08-17T14:00

What’s the secret to success for implementing a world-class holistic approach to a Risk-Based Quality Management (RBQM) system? That’s one of the key topics from Artem Andrianov‘s and Joh...

Gregory L. Hall, MD: Writing the Book on Health Disparities in African Americans from 2020-07-30T15:00

Ever since elementary school, Gregory L. Hall, MD, knew he would be a doctor. In this interview, he shares that journey and how he came to write the book—literally—on health disparities for Afri...

Turning Insights Into Action: Linda Sullivan and Ken Getz on How Metrics and Benchmarking Provide a Path To Optimizing Clinical Trials from 2020-07-29T16:00

"What impact does a remote clinical team operating model have on clinical trial performance?" That’s one of the hot topics from Ken Getz’s interview with Executive Director of WCG’s Me...

Peter A. DiBiaso, MHA: Taking on the Ironman, Mount Kilimanjaro and Parkinson’s disease: a clinical trials patient recruitment expert speaks about his own life as a patient from 2020-07-29T14:00

Pharmaceutical executive Peter A. DiBiaso, MHA, a triathlete who has successfully completed the grueling Ironman, learned at age 49 he had early-onset Parkinson’s disease. He shares his experien...

Lisa Carlton, PhD: Fighting Rare Diseases as a Mother, Patient Advocate and Regulatory Affairs Professional from 2020-07-29T14:00

Lisa Carlton, PhD, understands rare childhood diseases both professionally and personally. She was already a scientist specializing in rare diseases when her daughter was diagnosed with one: tub...

Hong Liu, PhD, Making Chicago a Healthier City for Asian Americans from 2020-07-21T16:00

To fully engage Chicago’s medically underserved Chinese and other Asian communities and to help them address their own health issues, Dr. Hong Liu’s Midwest Asian Health Association reaches out ...

Roslyn Daniels, Black Health Matters Founder and President, on Health Disparities and Exciting Communities About Health from 2020-07-08T14:00

In this episode, Roslyn Daniels, the founder and president of Black Health Matters, talks about how her organization educates and motivates African-American communities about taking care of one’...

Dorelia Rivera talks about health disparities, a career in advocacy and saving her daughter’s life from 2020-06-12T14:00

Our guest this episode, patient advocate Dorelia Rivera, improves access to healthcare services and clinical trials for the underrepresented, including her own Hispanic community. Her advocacy r...

Christopher Gantz, Building Trust and minority enrollment in clinical trials at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia from 2020-06-12T09:00

“Our research population should match our community population.” That’s one of the takeaways from Christopher Gantz’s interview with WCG President of Patient Advocacy Steve Smith. He describes s...

Communicating the Value of Clinical Trials to Underserved Minority Communities from 2020-06-08T10:00

In this episode, we learn about CISCRP’s AWARE for All campaign, which builds awareness of, creates access to and encourages participation in clinical trials. Ellyn Getz, Associate Dire...

People, Process and Technology: The Right Combination for Successful Expert Committees from 2020-06-03T14:00

Independent expert committees provide essential validation of clinical data. Without their insights, sponsors risk missed signals, conflicts of interest and costly delays. But establishing a suc...

Bringing Clinical Trials Closer to Home: Smaller, Local Sites Build Trust&Provide Access to Local Communities from 2020-05-15T16:00

In this episode, Dolly Niles, executive director of QUEST Research Institute, talks about the role of small research sites and the value of community outreach. QUEST, a multi-specialty independe...

Raise Your Voices: Social Network Provides Safe Place for Patients to Share Stories and Influence Research from 2020-05-06T16:00

In this episode, Brian Loew, founder and CEO of online patient portal Inspire, talks about the value to patients and caregivers of providing a safe and trustworthy online social network--a “peac...

Brian Loew, The INSPIRE social network platform provides a safe place for patients to meet, learn, and influence research from 2020-04-28T15:00

In this episode, Brian Loew, founder and CEO of online patient portal Inspire, talks about the value to patients and caregivers of providing a safe and trustworthy online social network: a “peac...

Frank Sasinowski, MS, MPH, JD Hymen Phelps&McNamara: Rare Disease Regulatory Transformation: 1983 AIDS Crisis to Present from 2020-04-28T15:00

Drug policy has transformed to bring transformative improvement to the way rare diseases are developed resulting in more FDA approved treatments.

This transformation came about because of ...

Thomas Farrington, cancer survivor’s Prostate Health Network gets African American communities talking about prostate cancer from 2020-04-21T14:00

In this podcast, Thomas Farrington, founder of the Prostate Health Network, speaks with WCG President of Patient Advocacy Steve Smith.

Mr. Far...

We Should Not Be Surprised: COVID-19 Disparities Lay Bare What’s Been There All Along from 2020-04-17T15:00

In this episode, former Assistant FDA Commissioner Jonca Bull, MD, discusses racial disparities in healthcare, how COVID-19 has made them impossible to ignore, and how this hig...

COVID-19 Doesn’t Play Fair: What We Need to Understand About Racial Disparities from 2020-04-15T17:00

This episode takes on a topic from recent headlines--namely, the racial disparity in COVID-19 cases and deaths. Edith P. Mitchell, MD, MACP, FCPP, shares her insights on the causes of these heal...

Dr. David Fajgenbaum, MD, Castleman’s Disease Survivor, Facing COVID-19 with Research, Action, and Hope from 2020-04-01T13:00

In this COVID-19 focused episode, Dr. David Fajgenbaum chats with President of WCG Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, to talk about his journey as a medical researcher and patient of a rare disease ...

Turning Passion Into a Career: Insights from a Physician and Industry Medical Director of AbbVie Pharmaceuticals, Charlotte Owens, MD, FACOG from 2020-02-24T14:00

In this episode, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, talks with Dr. Charlotte Owens, MD, FACOG, Medical Director at AbbVie Pharmaceuticals, who works in the general medicine therap...

Biostatistics and Biomarkers for the Reliability and Efficiency of Clinical Trials: A Conversation with Dr. Janet Wittes from 2020-02-13T10:00

In this episode, Dr. Janet Wittes, Founder and President of WCG Statistics Collaborative sits down with WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith. Their conversation focuses on the import...

An Inside Look at the Role of Data Monitoring Committees with Dr. Jonathan Seltzer from 2020-02-13T10:00

In this episode, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, interviews Dr. Jonathan Seltzer, MD, Chief Scientific Officer at WCG, expert on data safety monitoring boards, biomarkers, bios...

Julia Jenkins, EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases: Patient’s shape science-driven public policy from 2020-02-09T19:00

In this episode, Steve Smith, WCG President of Patient Advocacy sits down with Julia Jenkins of the EveryLife Foundation to discuss the impact her organization has on giving patients a voice to ...

An Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Cooper: Clinical Trial Expert and Participant from 2020-02-09T19:00

In this episode, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, interviews Dr. Jeffrey Cooper, MD, MMM, Vice President of Process & Strategic Improvement at WCG, expert in the conduct of ...

Ensuring Genetic Counseling is Incorporated Into the Patient Experience: An Interview with Sarah Zentack&Leslie Urdaneta from 2020-01-13T16:00

In this episode, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, sits down with Sarah Zentack, a Certified Genetic Counselor at InformedDNA and Leslie Urdaneta, Family Support Coordinator at t...

Sarah Tompkins, on having Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, having a mis-understood disease, taking a lead in advocacy from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, Sarah Tompkins, Patient Advocate of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, chats with WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith. During their discussion, Sarah shares with us her experi...

Mark Dant, pushing for research that saved his son’s life in the fight against MPS I and advocating for change from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, Mark Dant, Founder of the Ryan Foundation speaks with Steve Smith, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy. Their conversation highlights the importance of Patient Advocacy Groups –...

Developing Novel Treatments for Rare Disorders: A Look at MPS I with Dr. Emil Kakkis from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, talks with Emil Kakkis, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals and President of the non-profit EveryLif...

Blazing New Trails in Rare Disease&CNS Clinical Studies: An Interview with Dr. Mark Opler from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, Mark Opler, PhD, MPH, Chief Research Officer at WCG MedAvante-ProPhase sits down with Steve Smith, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy to discuss the achievements in the field o...

An Inside Look at Angelman Syndrome Rare Disease: An Interview with Amanda Moore from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, Amanda Moore, CEO of Angelman Syndrome Foundation speaks with Steve Smith, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy. As a mom whose son has been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome - a ...

The Role&Importance of Genetic Counselors to Patients: An Interview with Karmen Trzupek of InformedDNA from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, Karmen Trzupek, MS, CGC, Director of Ocular & Rare Disease Genetic Services and Clinical Trial Services at InformedDNA sits down with WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, St...

Learning How to See Differently: An Interview with Kristin Smedley, President of the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation from 2020-01-13T15:00

In this episode, Kristin Smedley sits down with President of WCG Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, to talk about the journey her two children with retinal blindness have experienced. Known as the “...

Chasing My Cure: an Interview with Dr. Fajgenbaum from 2019-11-18T12:00

In this episode, WCG’s President of Patient Advocacy, Steve Smith, sits down for an interview with Dr. David Fajgenbaum, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Aut...

The State of Clinical Trials in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders with Dr. Scott Hunter from 2019-08-13T16:00

What’s the state of clinical trials in autism and neurodevelopmental disorders? What’s on the horizon?

Scott J. Hunter, PhD, a member of WCG’s Scientific Leadership Team, shared his insigh...

The New Paradigm of Patient Recruitment: an interview with Mark Summers from 2019-07-05T11:00

Despite advances in science and technology, we still see that 80% of clinical trials are running behind on their enrollment timeline.

Mark Summers, Founder of WCG ThreeWire, and Preside...

Exciting Developments in Psychopharmacology in 2019 with guest Andrew Cutler, MD from 2019-05-02T18:00

Dr. Andrew J. Cutler shares his insights on the current challenges and opportunities for CNS therapies during an energizing conversation with Dr. Mark Opler, Chief Research Officer at WCG MedAva...

The Role of Expert Committees in Clinical Research with guest Jonathan Seltzer, MD, MBA, MA, FACC from 2019-04-27T18:00

Dr. Seltzer, president and founder of ACI Clinical, and chief scientific officer of WCG Clinical, shared his insights on expert committees during a recent conversation with Bill Stedman, manager...

The Most Pressing Challenges and Opportunities in Pain Research with guest Nathaniel Katz, MD, MS from 2019-04-18T18:00

Dr. Katz, Chief Science Officer and the founder of Analgesic Solutions, shared his insights during a recent conversation with Mark Opler, MD, PhD, Chief Research Officer at WCG’s MedAvante-ProPh...

Important Trends in CNS Clinical Trials in 2019 with guest Cristoph Correll, MD from 2019-03-27T17:00

Christoph U. Correll, MD, a member of WCG’s Scientific Leadership Team, shared his thoughts in a recent conversation with Mark Opler, MD, PhD, chief research officer at WCG-MedAvante-ProPhase. D...

The Most Pressing Challenges in Psychiatry Clinical Trials with Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH from 2019-03-06T17:00

Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH, a member of WCG’s Scientific Leadership Team, shared his insights during a recent conversation with Mark Opler, MD, PhD, chief research officer at WCG-MedAvante-ProPhase...

The Most Pressing Challenges in Psychiatry Clinical Trials with Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH from 2019-03-06T17:00

Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH, a member of WCG’s Scientific Leadership Team, shared his insights during a recent conversation with Mark Opler, MD, PhD, chief research officer at WCG-MedAvante-ProPhase...

The Most Pressing Challenges in Psychiatry Clinical Trials with Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH from 2019-03-06T17:00

Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH, a member of WCG’s Scientific Leadership Team, shared his insights during a recent conversation with Mark Opler, MD, PhD, chief research officer at WCG-MedAvante-ProPhase...