Transparency in Clinical Trials: Simplifying the Process by Strengthening Trust

Transparency has become more than a regulatory requirement in clinical research — it is the foundation of trust and successful patient engagement. For participants and their families, joining a clinical trial is a life-changing commitment. Yet, too often, the processes that follow often feel complex and unclear.

Simplification of these processes is often presented as the answer, but simplification is not a one-size-fits-all concept. What feels streamlined for one participant might create new barriers for another – for example, switching to electronic consent platforms may help some participants but be burdensome for those less confident with technology or managing disabilities.

True simplification stems from transparency, clarity, and flexibility — designing trials that reflect real patient needs and preferences.

Transparency & Participant Retention in Clinical Research

A lack of transparency can directly affect patient retention in clinical trials. Globally, 25–30% of participants drop out of trials after giving consent, often due to unclear expectations, communication gaps, or logistical barriers.[1,2]

Transparent and clear communication from the outset can prevent this. When participants understand the purpose of the trial, what their involvement entails, and how it may affect their daily lives, they feel empowered to stay engaged.

Transparency means that every stakeholder involved in the clinical trial process – from patients and caregivers to sponsors and investigators – understands the who, what, when, and why behind each and every step.

Clear, flexible clinical trial models, such as hybrid and decentralised clinical trial approaches, can build trust and improve patient retention.

Simplifying Through Communication and Accessibility

Simplifying clinical trials is not always about adding technology, rather it is often more about improving communication and accessibility. Providing participants with options, such as completing forms and/or having some visits done at home, attending a local, community-based or satellite clinic, or scheduling visits around their personal routines, helps reduce participation barriers and boosts engagement.

According to the 2023 CISCRP Perceptions & Insights Study, 81% of participants said they are more likely to remain in a clinical trial when they feel consistently informed about the study’s progress and their role within it.[3]

Integrating these insights into adaptable touchpoints, including in-home nursing (Home Trial Support), community-based / satellite clinics with extended site hours, and tele-health options, ensures that participants are not only informed but supported throughout their trial journey.

Including The Entire Support Network

Behind every participant stands a network of caregivers, partners, and family members whose support is essential to trial success. Yet, research shows that more than half of caregivers involved in clinical studies report feeling excluded or underinformed about the trial’s progress.[4]

It is just as important to ensure that transparency throughout the clinical trial is inclusive of the participants’ support network as it is with them. These will be the people that will play a vital role in helping participants stay engaged.By including them in key communications, providing access to clear updates, and ensuring they understand the study’s goals, creates a more inclusive environment that reduces participation stressors and fosters stability for everyone involved.

Empowering Authentic Participant Voices

Transparent research also means listening — not assuming. Participants who feel heard are more likely to trust their study team, remain engaged, and provide higher-quality feedback.

Prioritising a patient-centric trial design means involving patients and caregivers from the very beginning. Their feedback helps shape site operations, accessibility measures, and communication practices. Whether through virtual surveys, community advisory boards, or post-study discussions, it is possible to turn patient insights into actionable improvements.

Transparency: The Ultimate Simplifier

Simplification does not always mean streamlining or automating – sometimes it means opening up. When clinical trial communication is honest, expectations are realistic, and participants and their caregivers feel respected and informed, complexity gives way to clarity.

Transparency humanises clinical research and transforms participation from a procedural obligation into a partnership where participants, caregivers, sites and sponsors are all working toward the shared goals of advancing science, improving patient outcomes, and making research more accessible for all.

VCTC believes that transparency is the cornerstone of successful, patient-centric, and inclusive trials. By combining open communication, flexible design, and hybrid trial delivery models, we’re building the future of clinical research — one that puts clarity and accessibility first.

Tell me how VCTC can make my trial more accessible.
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References:

1. Poongothai S, et al. Strategies for participant retention in long term clinical trials: A participant-centric approach. Perspect Clin Res. 2023;14(1):3–9.

2. Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. Impact Report Summary: Clinical trial participation and retention trends. 2022.

3. Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP). Perceptions & Insights Study. 2023.

4. National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Caregivers in Clinical Trials Report. 2022.