Trials with Maya Z

Naomi Litchfield’s passion for Early Access Programs (EAPs) stems from a personal experience - her sister’s life was saved by an early access drug after being diagnosed with four rare cancers. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Naomi is now the Director Patient Advocacy at Bionical Emas. In this episode, Naomi and Maya discuss:  • What Early Access Programs are and how they work  • How E...

Clinical trials are evolving, but are we innovating fast enough? In this episode Maya sits down with Philip Raeth from Palleos Healthcare to explore how new trial designs can challenge the status quo. From adaptive methodologies to efficiency-driven models, we discuss how rethinking trial structure can help us tackle industry-wide hurdles—not just in patient recruitment and retention, but in trial...

Paul Simms is the CEO of Impatient Health and a trailblazing voice in the life sciences industry. Paul is on a mission to push the boundaries of pharma. He works with innovators and early adopters to inject “mutation pressure” into the status quo, ensuring bold ideas and creative solutions make their way into the market. Drawing on his experience as a speaker, event organizer, and consultant, Paul...

In this episode of Trials with Maya Z , Maya and patient expert and advocate Orit Rindner discuss the intersection of patient needs and clinical trials, highlighting real-world challenges and insights from rare disease research: The impact of standard of care on patient willingness to join clinical trials Challenges in rare disease trials and patient recruitment The importance of aligning clinical...

"Only 1-4% of global healthcare R&D funding is dedicated to female-specific conditions beyond cancer, despite women representing 51% of the population.” Meet Estelle Jobson - an EUPATI Fellow and a patient advocate living with endometriosis. In this episode, Maya and Estelle discuss the limitations of standard care for this chronic condition and call for research that addresses its diverse sym...

Join Maya Zlatanova and Ritesh Patel from Finn Partners as they dive into the evolving world of real-world data in clinical trials. Discover the challenges of integrating diverse patient data, the role of social determinants in trial outcomes, and how emerging technologies like AI and digital biomarkers are set to revolutionize the industry. Packed with insights on collaboration and innovation, th...

Ella Balasa has experience on both sides of the research spectrum - as a patient with cystic fibrosis and as a scientist examining antibiotic-resistant bacteria. She is on a mission to amplify patient voices in drug development. In this episode Ella and Maya discuss: Ella’s journey and advising experience The difference in the patient journey in US vs. Europe The often overlooked challenges in pat...

Meet Jan Poleszczuk, a mathematician turned healthcare innovator and a CTO of CliniNote. In this episode Maya and Jan talk about: - The top 3 challenges hindering the quality of RWD - How CliniNote is helping doctors generate quality data while simplifying their workflow - The potential of RWD in clinical trials  Tune in to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of Real-World Data and how innovat...

Meet Esther Howard, Mental Health Advocate, Researcher and CEO of Bezyl. In this conversation, Esther shares her unique perspective on the importance of understanding patient journey, not just as a scientific necessity, but as a fundamental human duty for researchers. Esther explores the three critical prongs of patient journey: standard of care, the specifics of the patient's disease, and the oft...

Meet Heidi Floyd, a breast cancer survivor, patient advocate, and champion for transforming clinical trials through authentic patient engagement. In this powerful episode, Heidi shares her remarkable journey of navigating cancer treatment while pregnant. Heidi emphasizes the critical importance of building meaningful relationships between patients, healthcare providers, and clinical trial teams. S...

Meet Travis Caudill, Vice President of Feasibility and Clinical Informatics at ICON, a seasoned expert in the world of clinical trial optimization. Discover how Travis and his team are navigating the complexities of trial feasibility—using data to optimize site selection, understanding local patient journeys, and anticipating changes in the standard of care. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.link...

Ilknur Lechthaler is an expert in clinical operations, research, and startup investments. Ilknur discusses how the industry's awareness of the significance of country-specific standard of care has evolved over the past decade. Together with Maya they dive into the practical aspects of country selection and the factors that influence decision-making, such as regulatory requirements, timelines, and...

Meet Todd Georgieff - a veteran in drug development and clinical operations with expertise in optimizing global trials. In this episode, Todd and Maya explore the critical aspects of protocol optimization and patient burden quantification. How does understanding local standard of care impact trial success? What are the ethical implications of providing treatments in different healthcare systems? T...

Meet Kasia Harris - an expert in clinical trial feasibility and planning with experience in both CRO and Pharma.  bringing valuable insights into the complexities of global healthcare systems. In this episode, Kasia and Maya delve into the critical role of understanding local standard of care in clinical trial success. They explore feasibility assessments, protocol, country, and site-specific cons...

Meet Annabel de Maria Bosch - the Chief Patient Officer at Alira Health with nearly three decades of experience in patient engagement across the pharmaceutical industry. In this insightful conversation, Annabel shares her unique perspective on the critical importance of understanding the patient journey and its impact on clinical trial success.  Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m...

Meet Joy Milne, a remarkable woman whose unique sense of smell is revolutionizing the world of Parkinson's research. In this episode, Joy shares her personal story of love, loss, and unwavering determination to make a difference in the lives of those affected by Parkinson's, from her groundbreaking work with researchers at the University of Manchester to her advocacy for greater awareness of the c...

Meet Ted Trafford - a seasoned clinical research expert with nearly three decades of experience and a passion for driving innovation in the industry. As the Director of Business Development at Probity Medical Research, Ted brings unique insights into the challenges faced by sites, sponsors, and patients in the clinical trial landscape. Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatano...

Meet Angie Schwab - founder of EZ Research Solutions and a passionate expert in clinical research with a focus on improving trial startup processes. In this episode, Angie and Maya dive deep into the challenges and solutions in clinical trial design and execution. Angie shares her insights on the critical importance of thorough planning, understanding local standards of care, and involving all sta...

Meet Begonya Nafria - Head of the Patient Engagement  in Research Department at Hospital Sant Juan de Déu Children’s Hospital, championing the cause of paediatric clinical research. In this eye-opening episode, Begonya and Maya delve into the unique challenges of conducting clinical trials for children, especially those with rare diseases. Begonya highlights the startling fact that 95% of rare dis...

Dan Sfera really needs no introduction - founder of the Clinical Trials Guru he has been publishing content in the clinical research space since 2010. In this episode, Dan and Maya talk about the challenges of patient recruitment and retention, explore the importance of considering clinical trials as a care option, and the implications of not prioritizing the patient perspective in trial design. F...

Meet Robert Joyce - a patient advocate living with multiple chronic illnesses who has turned his experiences into a powerful voice for change in healthcare. In this episode, Robert and Maya explore the complex journey of living with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, asthma, sarcoidosis, and chronic pain. They discuss the critical importance of including patient voices in clinical trial des...

Meet Dr. Lorna Pender - a passionate patient advocate and engagement expert dedicated to amplifying patient voices in healthcare. In this episode, Lorna and Maya explore the vital role of patient engagement in shaping the clinical trial landscape. Lorna highlights how early patient engagement can drive the success of clinical trials and stresses the importance of industry creating accessible, tail...

Meet Martin Krauss - the CEO of FGK Clinical Research, an expert in clinical research with a mission to advance medical treatments and improve patient outcomes. One year after their last episode together, Martin and Maya meet again to talk about the current challenges and developments in the clinical research landscape. Why is there a decline in biotechnology investments globally and how is that a...

  In this episode, Maya meets Dr. Oren Cohen, who brings more than 30 years of healthcare, research, and clinical development experience to his role, including several senior medical and operational leadership positions at a biotechnology company and another global CRO. Oren is President at Fortrea Inc which has patient-friendly clinical research units in US and the UK. A hot topic is the unit in...

Meet Carole Scrafton, a passionate patient advocate and founder of Flutters and Stutters, a patient organization dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by chronic illnesses and rare diseases. In this episode, Carole and Maya explore how Standard of Care shapes the patient journey and experience throughout healthcare, going beyond just access to treatment.  Follow Maya Zlatanova: https:...