5 Must-Know Clinical Trial Trends for 2026 and beyond (And What To Do About It)

Clinical trials are advancing. But the evidence behind them isn’t keeping up.

With China’s growing role in the CRO ecosystem and increasing engagement from global pharma MNCs, especially in oncology trials, there’s a clear shift in how and where evidence is being generated. This makes it even more important to examine the evidence gap more closely.

Up to 30% of trials fail due to poor patient accrual. Many more are delayed or generate data that doesn’t fully reflect real-world populations. The result is a growing disconnect between innovation and impact.

This is the evidence gap and it’s quickly becoming one of the biggest risks in clinical development.

As expectations shift toward real-world outcomes, regulators, payers, and patients are asking a harder question:

Does this evidence actually apply in practice?

In this white paper, we explore:

•  Why clinical trial populations still don’t reflect real patients

•  How this gap impacts oncology, cardiometabolic, and neurodegenerative research

•  The rise of decentralized trials, AI, and real-world data

•  Why clinicoequity is now tied to efficiency, cost, and outcomes

•  What leaders and researchers must do now to stay competitive

Because in today’s landscape, evidence that isn’t representative won’t translate and won’t deliver value.

Download the full white paper to see how leading organizations are closing the gap and building more effective, patient-centered trials.