Reduce Recruitment Risk in Pharma Through Representation

Clinical trial delays cost time, money, and, most importantly, patient access to potentially life-changing therapies. But they’re not inevitable: Many delays arise because sponsors, CROs, and recruiters overlook underrepresented communities—particularly communities of color. 

When these groups aren’t genuinely engaged early in the recruitment process, they’re less likely to participate. And without representation, new therapies may be less effective—or less trusted—by the people who need them most. By integrating representation from day one, CROs and sponsors are more likely to meet enrollment goals, retain participants, and collect real-world data that reflects the needs of all communities.  

Fully engaging communities of color in clinical research helps ensure the therapies being tested are safe and effective for everyone. This matters because race, ethnicity, and social determinants of health can influence how someone responds to a particular medication. Representation also builds credibility. Black patients, for example, report greater trust in treatments when they see themselves represented in clinical research.  

Acclinate helps sponsors and CROs reduce recruitment risk in pharma by centering inclusion from the very beginning. This approach provides access to valuable and largely overlooked communities, while helping avoid unnecessary enrollment delays. 

Why Representative Patient Enrollment Reduces Recruitment Risk

A lack of representative recruitment strategies can derail clinical trials, leading to missed enrollment targets, higher costs, and weaker data. When research doesn’t authentically connect with communities of color, it risks slower recruitment, poorer retention, and the need for costly post-marketing studies to fill evidence gaps. 

Consider the following: 

• About 80% of US clinical trials miss enrollment deadlines.
• Up to 20% of clinical trials fail because of inadequate enrollment.
• In a typical phase III clinical trial, 37% of research sites under-enroll.
• Reports vary, but up to 85% of clinical trials fail to recruit enough participants on time.
• Drug launch delays cost an estimated $500,000 per day, with some estimates as high as $8 million per day. 

When sponsors and CROs rely too heavily on familiar recruitment channels, they narrow their reach and increase the likelihood of expensive delays. In contrast, carefully targeted outreach efforts bolster accessibility and engagement, which in turn improve recruitment, representative patient enrollment, and retention, especially in communities of color. 

Acclinate partners with sponsors and CROs to implement community-rooted, culturally informed strategies that improve enrollment for current trials and build the trust needed for long-term research involvement.

Mitigating Trial Delays Through Inclusion 

To reduce recruitment risk in pharma, inclusive practices must begin well before recruitment starts. Building representation early, through culturally relevant outreach, inclusive site selection, and trusted community partnerships, lays the foundation for faster study launches and stronger retention. 

It's important to note that health equity and ROI aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they're deeply connected. When research teams authentically engage underrepresented populations, they expand access and enrollment, improve participant trust and retention, and generate more reliable, review-ready data.  

Traditional recruitment often fails because it lacks community insight. It’s not culturally relevant. It relies on cognitive trust, expecting facts and credentials to convince people to join a trial. But that approach may not work with communities of color and others who are justifiably skeptical about clinical research.  

Acclinate focuses on affective trust, which prioritizes authentic, two-way communication as the foundation of equitable research engagement. Our Affective Trust Framework  takes a personal, culturally rooted, high-touch approach.

Acclinate’s Approach to Reduce Recruitment Risk in Pharma

With NOWINCLUDED and e-DICT, Acclinate, sponsors and CROs can see community engagement as it unfolds. They get a real-time view of what’s working and what’s not. But these digital tools do more than collect data—they build relationships and translate community insight into action.  

Building Trust Through NOWINCLUDED 

NOWINCLUDED, Acclinate’s digital engagement platform, was built by and for communities of color. It fosters culturally relevant education, storytelling, and dialogue—connecting people around shared experiences and health journeys. Through discussions, surveys, and peer exchange, the platform surfaces the questions, barriers, and motivations that matter most to historically underrepresented communities. It also provides information on conditions and health resources while offering a space for meaningful connection. By supporting members as they take control of their medical journeys, it helps build affective, emotional, and communal trust.  

Predictive Precision With e-DICT 

e-DICT turns those NOWINCLUDED insights into strategy. Sponsors and CROs can track community sentiment, engagement trends, and representation in real time. With predictive analytics and adaptive dashboards, researchers can see where momentum is building—or where trust is faltering. They can then adjust outreach strategies quickly and effectively. 

Together, NOWINCLUDED and e-DICT create a powerful feedback loop: Insights from the community inform strategy, and strategy adapts in real time to deepen trust and drive participation. The impact is measurable—especially when applied in real-world trials. 

Success Story: Boosting Enrollment in Alzheimer’s Research 

Lightship partnered with Acclinate to increase representation in a decentralized phase 3 Alzheimer’s trial.  

Black communities have long been underrepresented in neurology research, even though Alzheimer’s disease affects Black older adults at twice the rate of their white counterparts. Yet only 1% to 3% of Black Americans are included in Alzheimer’s clinical drug research. 

Using our NOWINCLUDED platform and culturally tailored education strategies, we helped increase the number of pre-screened participants by 3.8x in just four months. Of the 164 individuals Lightship pre-screened, 157 identified as Black or African American. Acclinate’s outreach identified 86 individuals who were eligible for screening.  

When people feel seen, informed, and respected, they’re not only more likely to join a trial— they’re more likely to stay engaged throughout it.

Getting Representation Right From the Start

When sponsors and CROs involve communities of color early and really listen to what they have to say, they can reduce recruitment risk in pharma. They’re able to achieve stronger participant engagement, more reliable data, and better outcomes for everyone. 

At Acclinate, it’s never about checking a box or simply mitigating trial delays through inclusion. We collaborate with sponsors, CROs, and communities to build genuine relationships. We get representation right from the start. That’s the best way to minimize recruitment risk. Schedule a 1:1 meeting with our team to learn more.