Clinical Trials
Addressing access and diversity challenges and redefining patient experience
Walgreens is redefining the patient experience and increasing access and retention in sponsor-led drug development research. This high-traffic neighborhood pharmacy is building healthcare delivery capabilities to include clinical trials. This shift bucks the tradition of conducting clinical trials at hospitals and academic medical centers.
Walgreens recently launched its clinical trial business model to engage broader and more diverse communities through a combination of the company’s vast foundation of patient insights, partner-enabled health and technology capabilities, and in-person and virtual care options.
The introduction of Walgreens’ clinical trial offerings coincides with recent steps taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to increase racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials. Twenty percent of drugs have a variation in responses across ethnic groups1, yet 75% of clinical trial participants are White, while only 11% are Hispanic and fewer than 10% are Black and Asian2.
75%
of clinical trial participants are White
11%
of clinical trial participants are Hispanic
10%
of clinical trial participants are Black and Asian
72%
of clinical trial participants are White
11%
of clinical trial participants are Hispanic and fewer
10%
of clinical trial participants are Black and Asian

“Walgreens' trusted community presence across the nation, combined with our enterprise-wide data and health capabilities, enables us to pioneer a comprehensive solution that makes health options, including clinical trials, more accessible, convenient and equitable,” said Ramita Tandon, chief clinical trials officer, Walgreens. “Through the launch of our clinical trials services, we can provide another offering for patients with complex or chronic conditions in their care journey, while helping sponsors advance treatment options for the diverse communities we serve. This is yet another way we are building our next growth engine of consumer-centric healthcare solutions.”
Improving the clinical trial experience with patients in mind
Patient recruitment and enrollment remain challenges in clinical trials. These challenges are further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 80% of trials fail to meet their enrollment goals in the stated timeframes, often contributing to costly delays3. Walgreens is addressing these challenges and improving the overall clinical trial experience by rapidly scaling three portfolio-integrated, patient-centric service lines:
Presenting new opportunities for the biopharma industry
The evolution taking place in the clinical trials segment is fostering an enormous opportunity for the biopharma industry. Leveraging the scale, capabilities and reach of national retail health clinics and pharmacies helps further transform an outdated clinical trial model. Bringing clinical trials closer to patients also helps to address traditional clinical trial gaps that were further exposed by the pandemic.
Biopharma companies are already playing in this space, making substantial investments to implement strategies and support the framework to scale decentralized trials across their portfolios.
If you are looking for a partner to help you accelerate drug development through improved trial recruitment and retention, expanded patient access and health equity and an enhanced overall trial experience, we want to hear from you.