As the pharmaceutical industry marks World Clinical Trials Day 2025, we spoke with Sarah Tucker, COO at Phastar, a specialist Biometrics and Data Science CRO. Sarah shares insights into the evolving landscape of clinical trials, the impact of patient-centric approaches, and the operational innovations driving faster, more effective drug development.

What does Clinical Trials Day mean to your organisation, and how are you marking it this year?

As a specialist Biometrics & Data science CRO, we sit at the intersection of innovation and execution—bridging the gap between scientific discovery and clinical advancement. World Clinical Trials Day is a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the vital role we play in supporting our clients to deliver high-quality, timely trials that bring new therapies to patients.

This day is about recognizing the collective expertise, commitment, and purpose that define our work. We’re proud to acknowledge the dedication of our teams, whose contributions are instrumental in advancing drug development, improving patient outcomes, and accelerating access to life-changing treatments.

“World Clinical Trials Day is a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the vital role we play in delivering high-quality, timely trials that bring new therapies to patients.”

At Phastar, Clinical Trials Day is also a moment to celebrate how far we’ve come. This year, we’re marking the occasion with a company-wide Town Hall, where we’re spotlighting team stories that showcase our values, highlight the impact we make for our customers, and reflect the spirit of collaboration and excellence that drives us forward.

It’s a day to pause, appreciate our shared mission, and honour the difference our work makes in people’s lives around the world.

How has working on clinical trials evolved over the last five years?

Over the past five years, clinical trials have evolved significantly, shaped by technological innovation, shifting regulatory expectations, and a growing focus on patient-centricity.

Decentralized and hybrid trial models are now far more common, helping to improve patient access and engagement. These approaches have introduced diverse data sources — such as wearables, ePROs, and remote monitoring — which demand more agile, integrated data management strategies. Real-time data quality and integrity have become top priorities.

“Decentralized and hybrid trial models have transformed patient access and engagement, demanding more agile, integrated data management strategies.”

We’ve also seen rapid adoption of advanced analytics, automation, and machine learning to support data processing, cleaning, and analysis. When applied transparently and with proper validation, these technologies enhance efficiency and enable earlier insights.

In parallel, regulatory scrutiny has increased — particularly around data traceability, reproducibility, and standardization. This has driven a broader industry shift toward strong data governance.

The result is a more dynamic, data-driven clinical trial environment — one where CROs must be both flexible and forward-thinking to deliver high-quality outcomes.

What has been the biggest learning from the past year?

You can have the best plan in the world, but flexibility is everything. From shifting resourcing demands to evolving customer priorities, success increasingly depends on the ability to adapt quickly — without compromising on quality. The teams that thrive are those who can course-correct with speed and precision.

“Flexibility is everything. Success increasingly depends on the ability to adapt quickly — without compromising on quality.”

Over the past year, we’ve seen how unpredictable external factors — whether regulatory changes, data complexities, or operational disruptions — can impact even the most well-structured trials. Our biggest learning has been the value of building adaptable delivery models and resilient teams that can pivot seamlessly. Being responsive, transparent, and solutions-focused has made the difference in meeting both timelines and client expectations.

How do you balance speed and scientific rigour in your trial execution?

As specialists in biometrics and data science, we don’t just support clinical trials — we optimize them. Our people, processes, and systems are purpose-built for precision, quality, and pace. We’re not generalists; our teams focus exclusively on biometrics, allowing us to apply deep expertise and statistical rigor to every project.

“Our people, processes, and systems are purpose-built for precision, quality, and pace.”

We balance speed and scientific integrity by investing heavily in detailed planning, cross-functional coordination, and a Right-First-Time approach. Clear accountability and optimized processes reduce rework and delays — which is how we consistently deliver up to 50% faster than the industry average, without compromising quality. Because we do this day in, day out, our specialists have refined methodologies and operational discipline that drive better outcomes.

If you could change one thing about the current trial ecosystem, what would it be?

I would reduce the operational waste that’s still deeply embedded in how many trials are run. From redundant reviews to inefficient handoffs that lead to rework, too many processes add limited value — neither for patients nor for data integrity.

Applying Lean Six Sigma principles more consistently — focusing on flow, eliminating non–value-adding steps, and empowering teams to resolve issues at the source — would allow us to shorten timelines, reduce costs, and improve quality at scale.

“But to truly unlock this potential, CROs and sponsors need to move beyond transactional relationships and build genuine partnerships.”

But to truly unlock this potential, CROs and sponsors need to move beyond transactional relationships and build genuine partnerships. When we’re aligned around shared goals, open communication, and mutual accountability, we’re far better positioned to innovate, optimize delivery, and ultimately achieve better outcomes for patients.