Clinical studies must represent the populations they aim to serve. And yet some European communities remain underserved (US) or underrepresented (UR) in research – not only in terms of ethnicity, but also geography, age, socioeconomic status, rural location, health literacy or access to specialised centres. As a result, access to health innovations becomes uneven and research outcomes may not reflect real-world populations.
The READI Project seeks to reshape the clinical studies ecosystem, bringing together 80 organisations from Europe and beyond, spanning academia, healthcare providers, industry, patient organisations, regulatory bodies, and innovation partners. Clinical research sites are central to this transformation.
We invite Europe’s clinical sites to participate in the READI Clinical Site Survey.
Join 350+ participating sites and directly influence how Europe strengthens inclusion, expands research capacity, and builds a more connected clinical site network.
Why should Sites Join the READI Network
Gain insight into recruitment and retention across Europe
The survey will provide real-world insights in how sites across Europe identify, recruit, and retain underserved and underrepresented populations. Survey recipients would receive practical strategies and regional benchmarks from other site to improve engagement, reduce operational barriers, and strengthen community relationships for long term patient retention.
Ability to Participate in Clinical Research
“We would like to reach out to clinical trial sites and form a clinical trial site network that will allow recruitment and engagement with underserved and underrepresented populations,” says Kerstin Albus (University Hospital Cologne, UHC, READI partner). “We also would like to form an educational framework, allowing us to provide training to clinical trial sites to raise their level of capability and to expand clinical research.”
So, participating sites may benefit from:
- Structured training opportunities and educations tools.
- Practical guidance on inclusive study design and operations
- Increased readiness for future collaboration
Strengthened recruitment potential
Access remains one of the most significant barriers to participation, explains Marianne Pilgaard, (Trial Nation, READI partner) “Ensuring equal access to being offered participation in clinical trials, including bringing clinical trials to where patients are treated and reducing barriers for participation, using decentralized clinical trials elements, helps ensuring that patients with characteristics of those that will receive the treatment are included. It can help address health disparities and is in line with global aspirations expressed for instance in the WHO Guidance for best practices for clinical trials.”
Using these insights, READI develops strategies that:
- Support decentralised or community-linked recruitment
- Strengthen local site visibility
- Reduce participation barriers
Change has already started
To create an ecosystem where access is genuinely inclusive, it takes everyone. Whether you’re considering launching your first research program or have been a clinical research leader for a decade, your voices matters. From Cabo da Roca, Portugal, to Sofia, Bulgaria, representation is essential.
It is precisely this diversity of experience spanning every region, city, township, and every language spoken across Europe that allows the READI network to transform inclusion from an idea into a measurable, collaborative reality. Each insight helps to:
- Ensure their region is included in the analysis
- Identify local barriers to engaging US/UR populations
- Inform targeted capability-building strategies
- Strengthen Europe-wide research equity
If your country has not reached the minimum response threshold for analysis, it risks not being represented. Now is the time to ensure your country’s voice is included.
More about the survey
- Estimated time: 12–15 minutes
- Who should respond: Principal Investigators, site managers, research coordinators, or operational leads
- Responses will be treated confidentially and analysed in aggregate form.
The aggregated findings will be used to…
- Develop guidance for inclusive study design
- Help European sites engage US/UR populations in clinical research
- Create a structured European site network
- Develop collaborative opportunities within READI
- Contribute insights to scientific publications, position papers, and policy dialogue, always in line with ethical standards and confidentiality requirements.
In conclusion: a collective step toward systemic change
The READI Project brings together 80 organisations across Europe and beyond to create a more representative, inclusive, and impactful clinical studies ecosystem. But systemic change begins at site level. By completing the READI Clinical Site Survey, your site will help…
- Break down structural barriers to participation
- Strengthen trust within communities
- Improve recruitment and retention strategies
- Ensure research outcomes reflect real-world populations
Together, we can build a clinical studies ecosystem where everyone could participate and benefit.
Complete the READI Clinical Site Survey here:
https://www.clinicalsurveys.net/uc/READI/FeasibilityReadiness/
