Underneath the clinical trials that have led to so many breakthrough treatments and medications lies a concerning amount of ambiguity and uncertainty. Far too often, separate clinical trials will yield wildly different results in spite of testing the same drug or treatment.

Donald Berry

According to one of the world’s leading experts in clinical trials, Don Berry, “The standard clinical trial is pretty much the only thing in medicine that hasn’t changed in the last 70 years.”

Now, though, some experts are predicting that big changes are on the horizon. In an attempt to generate more consistent results that can actually provide researchers with incredibly valuable data about the drug they are testing, experts are predicting that clinical researchers in the near future will begin to leverage tools such as machine learning and adaptive trials. These methods will be designed to better anticipate which drugs will perform well and eliminate much of the uncertainty that current clinical trials sometimes deliver. If they are successful in this task, the benefits could be huge.

Of course, in order to bring about major changes to the way clinical trials are conducted, the medical field is going to have to rely on a new generation of talented clinical researchers who are dedicated to developing new ideas and delivering better results than ever before. With the help of modern technology, these clinical researchers may be able to forever change the way clinical trials are conducted.

With all of that said, the opportunity is certainly there for bright young minds to enter this field, bringing with them fresh ideas and a new approach to a set of procedures that has changed very little over the past decades. If you would like to be a part of making a difference in the way new drugs are tested – delivering more effective treatments to the people who need them most – then we invite you to learn more about our Masters of Science in Clinical Research program.

For those interested in clinical research, the opportunity to change the world is knocking. It’s up to you to decide if you will answer the call.