Welcome to Innovating Clinical Trials, the podcast where Liam and Ted explore the evolving landscape of clinical research and challenge the assumptions holding it back. In this episode, we sit down with Maya Zlatanova — CEO of TrialHub and FindMeCure, and host of Trials with Maya Z — for a no-nonsense look at one of the most misunderstood concepts in research: feasibility.
Episode Overview:
Maya takes us deep into the hidden layers of clinical trial feasibility, arguing that what most of the industry calls "feasibility" is really just site contracting in disguise. Instead, she introduces a broader, patient-aligned view that incorporates standard of care, access, and real-world motivation. We discuss:
How clinical trials often fail because they ignore the healthcare systems patients actually live in
Why standard of care varies country to country — and how that affects recruitment and retention
The painful disconnect between pharma’s incentives and patients’ reality
Why relying on investigators alone leads to blind spots
How AI and emerging tech can streamline feasibility, but only if paired with real-world insight
And why hope, as Maya bluntly reminds us, is not a strategy
This is an unflinching and inspiring conversation about why better feasibility planning isn’t just a project task — it’s the foundation for better trials, faster development, and ultimately, better care.
