About CTAC
The Mission
CTAC strives to engage communities that have historically been less involved in the research and development of potentially life-saving medical treatments and diagnostics.
Our goal is to create a network of connected, community-based clinical care sites equipped with tools and resources for sustainable participation in clinical research. This requires addressing critical disparities that exist today (e.g., 50% of clinical trials take place in less than 2% of US zip codes).
To achieve this, CTAC has convened an unparalleled ecosystem of 50+ partners including top scientists, physicians, community and professional society leaders, former FDA leaders, and industry executives who are leading thinkers on clinical research, clinical trial operations and access, community-based care models, social drivers of health, and more. These partners work together to expand clinical trial access, generate valuable insights, and share learnings with the broader research community.
Our History
During the learning phase, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) awarded a $10 million grant to Yale University to support the creation and development of this initiative. PhRMA convened thousands of stakeholders in the process to design this learning phase to work with 10 sites to help expand access to – and participation in – clinical trials for all communities across the U.S and uncover learnings to promote sustainability and success.
We emerged from EQBMED’s learning phase with a well-proven and rigorously tested model, and with the confidence our scalable approach will expand research access, and ultimately lead to better science and research infrastructure, improved health and health equity, and ultimately greater economic mobility and independence for underserved communities.
To sustain and build on the progress made in the learning phase, we transitioned EQBMED into a formalized non-profit organization, now known as the Clinical Trials Access Collaborative (CTAC). This evolution represents a significant step in our mission to transform clinical trial accessibility, ensuring that individuals who wish to participate in medical research have the opportunity to do so. Moving forward, we’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with PhRMA, in addition to engaging a variety of other mission-aligned stakeholders.
The Network Partners
CTAC is led by national clinical research experts. Its Network Partners, which continue to provide valuable advisory support to sites, include Yale School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, the Research Centers in Minority Institutions Coordinating Center (RCMI-CC) at Morehouse School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Key elements for making local sites sustainable in the clinical trial ecosystem include:
- Building on existing strengths and capabilities using a co-developed maturity model
- Developing lasting partnerships
- Providing continuous mentoring support from CTAC Network Partners to help sites meet their goals and aspirations
