The Scope of Things: Sharing Patient Insights, Absence of Pregnant Women in Clinical Trials, Boosting Cancer Vaccine Work, More

The Scope of Things: Sharing Patient Insights, Absence of Pregnant Women in Clinical Trials, Boosting Cancer Vaccine Work, More

By Clinical Research News Staff

March 6, 2025 | In this month’s episode of the Scope of Things, host Deborah Borfitz delivers the news on how an AI-powered trial screening tool outperformed human research staff, a strategy report on boosting cancer vaccine work, the issue of continued absence of pregnant women in clinical trials, bringing studies directly to people in rural Utah, and efforts to integrate clinical trials into routine patient care in medically underserved areas of Oklahoma.

Rare Patient Voice founder and president Wes Michael also joins in to talk about how his company is connecting people undertaking research studies with participants eager to share their insights—and getting paid to do so.

SHOW NOTES

News Roundup

AI clinical trial screening tool

Research letter in JAMA

Strategy report on cancer vaccines

Commentary in Cambridge Prisms: Precision Medicine

Exclusion of pregnant women from trials

Article in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Bringing cancer care and trials to Utah’s rural residents

Press release on Huntsman Cancer Institute website

Integrating clinical research into primary care

News on OU Health Sciences website

Guest

Wes Michael, Founder and President, Rare Patient Voice

Wes Michael founded Rare Patient Voice in 2013 to give patients and family caregivers the opportunity to voice their opinions through taking part in research studies. Rare Patient Voice has now recruited for thousands of studies and rewarded patients and family caregivers with over $15 million for their participation. Many have been recruited in person by Wes and his team at patient events and through a robust referral program with patient advocacy and support groups. Rare Patient Voice now covers over 1,500 rare and non-rare diseases and conditions and has expanded from the United States to Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.

Before launching Rare Patient Voice, Wes worked for healthcare market research firm Kantar Health. He previously was a brand manager and market research manager at McCormick (the spice company) and General Mills (working on Wheaties, Total and Kix cereals). He has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania (with a year at Edinburgh University) and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Wes lives outside Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife, Cathy, children Julia and Cliff, grandson Taylor, and dog Stanley.