By Clinical Research News Staff  

February 12, 2026 | Clinical trials have always struggled with the problematic trio: study execution, patient recruitment, and engagement. During ProofPilot’s first-ever CORE Symposium last year, pharmaceutical professionals and other industry experts shared practical solutions to tackle these longstanding problems that plague clinical trials. In the newest episode of The Scope of Things, Joseph Kim, chief strategy officer of ProofPilot, spoke about the reason why these problems have still not been solved, despite repeated attempts. 

“We have lost sight of what we are actually trying to do,” says Kim. “If we focus on the basics and execute the basics, we can get out of this mess.” 

Kim puts it bluntly. Testing drugs requires rigorous protocols to test their efficacy and safety. While trials should be workable for both participants and sites, clinical research is not meant to be a “delightful” experience. The goal of clinical trials is to achieve high-quality data in an effective, uniform, and simple way. 

Enrollment is another central focus. Kim describes clinical trial enrollment as a consumer health experience because it has similar dynamics that influence whether people notice, trust, and commit to any healthcare decision. Yet the industry continues to struggle with the middle of the funnel—connecting interested patients with sites in a way that respects the realities of site workflows. 

“These are real people with real lives. We're trying to solicit them to join a study or have a health experience,” says Kim. 

Kim stresses the importance of sharing information with participants. Patients are rarely informed about the treatment they receive or how the study turned out. This lack of communication generates distrust and perpetuates the lack of awareness about clinical research. Even providing general information and simple summaries of the study can improve public perception and future participation.  

“That’s super low-hanging fruit,” comments Kim. “It’s really easy to do nowadays with technology.” 

To learn more about this year’s CORE Symposium, investigative sites, and paving new ways for engagement, listen to The Scope of Things podcast.