BBK Worldwide^® Blog

Rounding out our Study Voices panel for BBK's keynote “Do Engagement Tools Live Up to Their Hype?” is panelist, Annie Finstein. She is looking forward to sharing her experience as a patient and participant in a clinical research study on February 19 at the SCOPE conference. 

Annie was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2000 at nine years old. After trying all available medications approved for pediatric patients at that time, she participated in a pediatric study at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Now in her late 20s, she enjoys spending time at the beach, hiking, cooking and gardening at her home in Boston. Annie is committed to making a difference and connects with other patients impacted by Crohn’s disease by running half marathons with Team Challenge, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation’s endurance training and fundraising program.

What was most rewarding to you as a participant in a clinical research study?

It was most rewarding to know that I was helping advance the treatment of Crohn’s disease for pediatric patients, and that my participation might not only help me but also other kids suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

We are excited to introduce one of our dynamic keynote panelists, Linda A. Glaser, MD, PhD of Coastal Biomedical Research, Inc. in Santa Monica, CA.

Linda will be sharing her site voice and insights at BBK’s Pharma15 Live! debate series at the 10^th Annual SCOPE Summit on Feb 19.

While pursuing a successful career in private practice, Linda’s passion for research lead her to establish Coastal Biomedical Research, Inc. in Santa Monica. The practice specializes in clinical trials across many therapies, from diabetes to hypertension to pain management. As Medical Director, she understands the patient experience and medical site needs. As a business owner, she also understands the importance of adaptability, efficiencies and overcoming operational challenges.

What is most rewarding to you as you consider your contribution to clinical trial research?

The ability to help advance science and treat disease.

How do you define patient engagement? What does that term mean to you?

BBK’s signature Pharma15 Live! web series is coming to the 10th Annual SCOPE Summit for Clinical Ops Executives. On February 19, Bonnie A. Brescia, BBK’s founding principal, will moderate a panel during the conference’s plenary keynote program on the topic of “Do Engagement Tools Live Up to Their Hype?” 

We are pleased to introduce one of our panelists, Gerald Wayne Dryden, Jr., MD, PhD, MSPH, MSc of University of Louisville, Kentucky.

Dr. Gerald “Tad” Dryden is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY.  He earned his MD at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington, KY, and completed his internal medicine internship and residency at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA. He then completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, CA.  During his tenure at the University of Louisville, he earned a Master of Science in Public Health, a Master of Science in Microbiology and Immunology, and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Dryden’s research interests include developing new therapies from botanical sources and new medical devices to improve endoscopic care.

What is most rewarding to you as you consider your contribution to clinical trial research?

It is very rewarding when I am involved with a drug from the ground up -- seeing research patients benefit from the drug, then eventually being able to prescribe it to my clinic patients.

Ensuring Successful Enrollment of Your Clinical Trials

The market has never been more competitive for small- and mid-size biopharmaceutical companies. While your company may not have the resources or depth of experience as the larger companies, with the right strategies you can find yourself better positioned to deliver results faster and with less expense to reach your clinical trial enrollment goals.

In this free, downloadable ebook, we offer solutions 

When it comes to the benefits travel programs offer in support of clinical trials, opinions are varied. In a recent article published in International Clinical Trials, BBK’s Hannu Koski and Rob Laurens present compelling data with industry insights. “Talking Travel” looks at the appeal travel assistance programs have from the patients’ perspective.

You might have seen an article in the October 1 issue of The New York Times, titled “Uber, Lyft and the Urgency of Saving Money on Ambulances,” by Austin Frakt. The article pushed for alternative modes of transportation in medical situations – such as Uber and Lyft – as cost-saving measures.

CEO and Founding Principal of BBK Worldwide, Joan F. Bachenheimer, wrote a strong response to the article, which has been submitted to the Times as a Letter to the Editor. We would love to hear your thoughts on possible use of ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft for emergency services.

Medication non-compliance is an epidemic that impacts patients, sponsors and the healthcare industry at large, costing the U.S. healthcare system around 300 billion dollars a year. According to a PM360 article that highlights medication compliance in diabetes patient populations, non-adherent patients have inpatient healthcare costs that are 41% higher than those of adherent patients.