Catchup – Salon – Clinical Trial Design

In this session we talk about Clinical Trial Design.

Clinical trial design isn’t just a methodological blueprint; it’s the battleground where scientific rigor meets ethical dilemmas. Every choice—from the selection of endpoints to the intricacies of randomisation—can drastically alter patient outcomes and the future of medical treatments. In the rush to innovate, how do we balance speed with safety, especially in trials targeting devastating conditions like dementia? Are we designing trials that truly serve the patient, or are we too often swayed by the allure of groundbreaking results? Just how do we adapt trial design to meet the needs of today? In the Salon we’ll get to the heart of clinical trial design, where every decision shapes the future of healthcare. Join us and share your views.

Dr Tom Doherty – is an Associate Director for Clinical Research and former Senior Clinical Scientist for Eisai EMEA. Tom completed his PhD at the University of Westminster whilst also working with PI’s on study design and recruitment, exploring how to best find the right subjects for the trials and address high screen failure.

Dr Darina Petrovsky – is a Nurse with a PhD in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She is now at Rutgers University working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Research focussed on improving sleep and behavioral symptoms in persons living with dementia and their caregivers using music-based interventions. Music interventions provide an oppertunity to be creative with trial design, and Darina will share her thoughts and experiences.