Reed Seward: AI and the Future of Clinical Trial Site Selection
The clinical research industry continues to search for faster and more effective ways to bring new treatments to market. One area receiving significant attention is clinical trial site selection. As Reed Seward defines it, choosing the right sites can determine whether a study meets its enrollment goals, stays within budget, and finishes on schedule. In the past, sponsors relied heavily on manual assessments, historical performance, and personal networks to identify suitable research locations. While these methods offered value, they often lacked the speed and precision needed for modern studies. Artificial intelligence is now changing this process by helping sponsors make smarter decisions based on large volumes of real-world data. AI can evaluate information from multiple sources simultaneously. These sources may include electronic health records, insurance claims, population health data, previous trial results, and site performance metrics. By analyzing these datasets, AI can identify patterns that would be difficult for humans to detect manually. This capability allows sponsors to pinpoint sites with strong recruitment potential, experienced investigators, and access to the right patient populations. One of the biggest advantages of AI is its ability to improve enrollment planning. Patient recruitment remains one of the leading causes of trial delays. AI-powered tools can estimate the