The opportunity

Expanding participation in clinical research, community by community. Clinical research is the cornerstone of medical innovation, yet access to clinical trials remains disproportionately limited to a small fraction of the population.
Enter Clinical Trials Access Collaborative (CTAC), an organization dedicated to making medical research more accessible, striving to ensure those who wish to participate in clinical trials can do so. CTAC, which is currently applying for a 501(c)(3) status, grew from a preceding grant and learning phase, Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development (EQBMED).

The Solution

The collaboration is a scalable model that connects clinical trial sponsors, healthcare institutions, community organizations, and the research ecosystem to accelerate trial participation in communities with access gaps. Its goal is to create a network of connected clinical care sites closer to each community and equipped with tools and resources for sustainable participation in clinical research. This is especially important because some communities have been left out of medical research, which limits what we know about how treatments work across all populations and geographies. Improving access can ultimately advance health outcomes across generations and unlock greater economic mobility.
“Communities with higher rates of chronic conditions often have fewer opportunities to join trials,” says McKinsey Senior Expert and Associate Partner Tamara Baer, MD. “About 50 percent of clinical trials take place in 2 percent of US zip codes. If we can change these statistics, we can potentially improve health outcomes across generations.”

The Solution

The collaboration is a scalable model that connects clinical trial sponsors, healthcare institutions, community organizations, and the research ecosystem to accelerate trial participation in communities with access gaps. Its goal is to create a network of connected clinical care sites closer to each community and equipped with tools and resources for sustainable participation in clinical research. This is especially important because some communities have been left out of medical research, which limits what we know about how treatments work across all populations and geographies. Improving access can ultimately advance health outcomes across generations and unlock greater economic mobility.
“Communities with higher rates of chronic conditions often have fewer opportunities to join trials,” says McKinsey Senior Expert and Associate Partner Tamara Baer, MD. “About 50 percent of clinical trials take place in 2 percent of US zip codes. If we can change these statistics, we can potentially improve health outcomes across generations.”