Cuttsy+Cuttsy launches a practical roadmap to enhance clinical trial participant experience

Patient communications agency Cuttsy+Cuttsy today announces the launch of The Experience Gap – a new digital roadmap designed to transform how clinical trial teams engage, support and retain participants at every step of the journey.

Launching at Patients as Partners on 19 May, the roadmap responds to a critical moment for the industry. With 85% of trials missing recruitment targets, ongoing gaps in participant diversity, and dropout rates frequently exceeding 20% – the need for effective, human-centred communication is more important than ever.

The Experience Gap was created to help do exactly that – bringing together evidence and experience into clear, actionable steps that site teams, sponsors and CROs can apply in real-world settings. Rather than simply staying at a theoretical level, the roadmap delivers practical, moment-by-moment guidance across the entire participant journey, so every touchpoint is optimised.

From shaping first human interactions grounded in empathy and trust, to helping people stay engaged throughout their trial experience, the roadmap focuses on the moments where engagement is won or lost. It equips teams with tools to simplify consent, personalise early engagement, and anticipate and address disengagement – helping sustain participation when it matters most.

The roadmap also extends beyond the trial itself, supporting clearer, more meaningful communication at study close – an often-overlooked moment that plays a key role in building long-term trust and encouraging future participation.

Built on Cuttsy+Cuttsy’s extensive experience and informed by insights from their previous research publications, The Participation Equation and The Site Factor, the roadmap is grounded in both behavioural science and real-world site realities, with a clear focus on turning insight into practical action.

“Our ambition was simple: to make better participant experiences achievable, not aspirational,” says Stacey Davidson, Head of Content and Strategy at Cuttsy+Cuttsy. “The Experience Gap brings structure to something that’s often left to chance – helping teams design clearer, more human interactions at every stage of the trial journey.”

By focusing on the points where engagement is most easily lost – from first contact through to study close – the roadmap supports teams to deliver more thoughtful, joined-up participant experiences. As expectations continue to rise around diversity, retention and trust, The Experience Gap provides a practical framework for building trials that work better for the people taking part in them.

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Reference

A Primer on the Importance of Recruitment and Retention in Clinical Trials accessed May 2026

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