{
  "id": 2279979,
  "title": "Want to join a clinical trial? Distance, insurance and hidden costs can stand in the way",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/want-to-join-a-clinical-trial-distance-insurance-and-hidden-costs-can",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-21T02:40:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-clinical-trial-distance-hidden.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Joining a clinical trial may seem like an appealing prospect, yet various obstacles can prevent individuals from participating. Even if someone identifies a suitable trial, factors such as location, financial burden, and time constraints can deter them. A recent survey of over 2,000 adults revealed that while 71% would consider joining a clinical trial, two-thirds reported never receiving any discussion from their healthcare provider about the option.\n\nClinical trials play a crucial role in advancing medical treatments, yet obtaining the necessary real-world data for FDA approval proves to be a challenging endeavor. Approximately 86% of clinical trials fail to meet their recruitment targets within the designated timeframe. Beyond the initial hurdle of recruitment, retaining participants throughout the trial presents its own set of challenges, as noted by Alan Balch, executive board chair at the Patient Advocate Foundation.\n\nThe American Cancer Society highlights that clinical trials provide an opportunity for patients with serious illnesses to potentially extend their life or improve their quality of life. Even if the therapy being tested is not the best standard of care, patients receive close monitoring and the highest level of treatment. Some patients participate to contribute to scientific advancements, while others hope to access cutting-edge therapies not yet available to the general public.\n\nDespite the interest in clinical trial participation, most patients remain unaware of how to find a trial. Primary care physicians, while willing to refer patients to trials, often struggle to identify eligible trials due to time constraints. Patients themselves may face difficulties in locating trials, although some patient advocacy groups offer navigation services and disease-specific trial information. When enrolled, participants must weigh the potential benefits against any associated medical or non-medical expenses.",
  "summary": "Connecting people with clinical trials is complicated—even if people identify a promising match, there's a slew of potentially thorny factors, including geographic incompatibility and financial and time considerations.",
  "key_points": [
    "71% of adults would consider joining a clinical trial.",
    "Two-thirds never discussed clinical trials with healthcare providers.",
    "86% of trials fail to meet recruitment targets."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The obstacles to joining a clinical trial, including distance, insurance, and hidden costs, mean that many patients miss out on potentially life-extending treatments and opportunities to contribute to medical advancements.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}