Innovating Data Approaches for Clinical Trial Recruitment: Live from SXSW 2023

·47 min·4 clips

May McCarmo defied a five-year prognosis with triple-negative breast cancer after doctors dismissed her self-advocacy.

This episode features a live panel discussion from SXSW 2023 on modernizing clinical trial recruitment through data and technology. Host Aaron Strout of Real Chemistry is joined by Brian Hansen from Janssen Pharmaceutical, Joan Severson from Clinical Inc., and patient advocate May McCarmo of the Tiger Lily Foundation. The conversation covers the four phases of clinical trials and the high-risk nature of drug development, where only about 14% of molecules reach market. Panelists discuss the critical role of data in identifying suitable trial participants and continuously monitoring patient behavior, safety, and caregiver input. A key focus is the accelerated adoption of technology during the pandemic to enable remote trial participation and maintain research timelines. May McCarmo shares her personal story as a 17-year breast cancer survivor who was initially misdiagnosed, highlighting the need for patient self-advocacy. Joan Severson explains how consumer wearables, like the Apple Watch, can now detect early-stage Parkinson's disease with 92% accuracy. Brian Hansen details J&J's work using multimodal sensor data to identify Alzheimer's patients in pre-symptomatic stages. A surprising insight is that clinical trials can now recruit thousands of participants entirely through social media and digital ads without requiring physical site visits. The discussion reveals that a major barrier isn't technology access but designing studies with proper human factors and patient input from the start. May McCarmo argues that diversity mandates should be a floor, not a ceiling, and describes training 250 Black women as community health advocates to build trust. The panel agrees that successful technology must offer clear patient rewards, not just functionality. Joan Severson notes that the pharmaceutical industry employs less human-factors design rigor compared to aerospace or automotive sectors. The tone is conversational, optimistic, and collaborative, blending personal narratives with technical expertise. The style is an accessible panel discussion aimed at demystifying complex healthcare topics for a broad audience. This episode would appeal to professionals in healthcare innovation, clinical research, or patient advocacy, as well as anyone interested in health technology equity. Listeners seeking a highly technical or debate-focused format might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A live SXSW conversation that makes clinical-trial recruitment feel more approachable and human.

Aaron Strout's SXSW live conversation frames clinical-trial recruitment as a question of trust and access, linking data science, patient advocacy, and practical outreach into one clear thread.

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Why you'd press play

Clinical trial recruitment gets more human, more local, and easier to approach.

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