Clinical data from the patient's perspective with Ella Balasa

In this episode of Clinical Data Talks, Sylvain Berthelot welcomes Ella Balasa, a patient advocate and leading voice in shaping collaborative approaches to clinical research. Together, they explore the critical importance of embedding the patient voice into every stage of the clinical trial lifecycle to ensure research is truly inclusive and effective.

With a deep personal history of navigating the healthcare system as a cystic fibrosis patient, Ella shares the stark realities of trial participation: from the struggle for awareness in rural communities to the heavy physical and logistical burdens of complex procedures. She provides a poignant account of how rigid exclusion criteria can prevent the very patients who need new therapies most from contributing to essential data.

Sylvain and Ella discuss why the industry must move beyond traditional endpoints to capture what truly impacts a patient’s quality of life. They also dive into the necessity of optionality, explaining how flexible trial designs can improve enrolment, reduce attrition, and accelerate timelines.

Tune in to discover how true partnership between sponsors, regulators, and patient communities can transform trial design from a "one-size-fits-all" model into a meaningful, data-rich collaboration.