Naomi Litchfield’s passion for Early Access Programs (EAPs) stems from a personal experience - her sister’s life was saved by an early access drug after being diagnosed with four rare cancers. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Naomi is now the Director Patient Advocacy at Bionical Emas.In this episode, Naomi and Maya discuss: • What Early Access Programs are and how they work • How EAPs provide hope and open doors for patients in need • The challenges and considerations involved in setting up an EAPEarly Access Resources:https://bionicalemas.com/resources/johnson-johnson-guide-to-expanded-access/https://bionicalemas.com/resources/what-is-a-clinical-trial/https://bionicalemas.com/resources/what-is-an-early-access-program/https://bionicalemas.com/resources/what-is-real-world-data/Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/Follow Naomi Litchfield: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-litchfield-499670122/

Clinical trials are evolving, but are we innovating fast enough? In this episode Maya sits down with Philip Raeth from Palleos Healthcare to explore how new trial designs can challenge the status quo. From adaptive methodologies to efficiency-driven models, we discuss how rethinking trial structure can help us tackle industry-wide hurdles—not just in patient recruitment and retention, but in trial execution, costs, and outcomes. What does the future of clinical trials look like? Tune in as we brainstorm new possibilities.Follow Philip Raeth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-raeth-51911114/Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/

Paul Simms is the CEO of Impatient Health and a trailblazing voice in the life sciences industry. Paul is on a mission to push the boundaries of pharma. He works with innovators and early adopters to inject “mutation pressure” into the status quo, ensuring bold ideas and creative solutions make their way into the market. Drawing on his experience as a speaker, event organizer, and consultant, Paul discusses how pharma can evolve to truly align with patients’ needs. Together, with Maya they explore the intersection of innovation, behavioral science, and systemic transformation in healthcare.What You’ll Learn:- Why Paul believes the pharma industry is still in its infancy and how it can grow.- What “mutation pressure” means and how it can drive innovation in pharma.- The critical role of patient engagement and behavioral science in improving healthcare outcomes.- How Paul’s work with major pharma companies has shaped his views on the future of the industry.- Practical lessons from other industries, including fashion and tech, that pharma can adopt.

In this episode of Trials with Maya Z, Maya and patient expert and advocate Orit Rindner discuss the intersection of patient needs and clinical trials, highlighting real-world challenges and insights from rare disease research:The impact of standard of care on patient willingness to join clinical trialsChallenges in rare disease trials and patient recruitmentThe importance of aligning clinical trials with patient realitiesFollow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/Follow Orit Rindner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oritrindner/   (00:00) - Chapter 1 (00:00) - Introduction to Clinical Research and Patient Advocacy (02:28) - The Intersection of Patient Advocacy and Clinical Trials (04:49) - Patient Perspectives on Clinical Trials (06:47) - Engagement of Patients in Clinical Trial Design (10:11) - Isolated vs multidisciplinary approach (12:27) - The Role of Patient Advocates in Clinical Research (16:12) - Impact of Current Events on Clinical Research in Israel

"Only 1-4% of global healthcare R&D funding is dedicated to female-specific conditions beyond cancer, despite women representing 51% of the population.” Meet Estelle Jobson - an EUPATI Fellow and a patient advocate living with endometriosis. In this episode, Maya and Estelle discuss the limitations of standard care for this chronic condition and call for research that addresses its diverse symptoms. Why Standard care for endometriosis fails to address patient needs?What is wrong with the current definition of endometriosis?What are the current treatment gaps?Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/Follow Estelle Jobson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estelle-jobson-27389821/ (00:00) - Introduction and Background (02:00) - Lack of Funding for Women's Health Research (05:34) - Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating Endometriosis (09:23) - Limitations of Current Clinical Trials (15:57) - The Need for Fresh Perspectives in Endometriosis Research (25:47) - Including a Wider Range of Patients in Clinical Trials (30:15) - Addressing the Diverse Symptoms of Endometriosis (36:29) - Summary and Conclusion

Join Maya Zlatanova and Ritesh Patel from Finn Partners as they dive into the evolving world of real-world data in clinical trials. Discover the challenges of integrating diverse patient data, the role of social determinants in trial outcomes, and how emerging technologies like AI and digital biomarkers are set to revolutionize the industry. Packed with insights on collaboration and innovation, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about transforming healthcare through data-driven strategies.Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/Follow Ritesh Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riteshpatel/

Ella Balasa has experience on both sides of the research spectrum - as a patient with cystic fibrosis and as a scientist examining antibiotic-resistant bacteria. She is on a mission to amplify patient voices in drug development. In this episode Ella and Maya discuss:Ella’s journey and advising experienceThe difference in the patient journey in US vs. EuropeThe often overlooked challenges in patient access to careFollow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/Follow Ella Balasa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-balasa/

Meet Jan Poleszczuk, a mathematician turned healthcare innovator and a CTO of CliniNote. In this episode Maya and Jan talk about:- The top 3 challenges hindering the quality of RWD- How CliniNote is helping doctors generate quality data while simplifying their workflow- The potential of RWD in clinical trials Tune in to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of Real-World Data and how innovators like Jan Poleszczuk are working to unlock its full potential to improve patient care and drive healthcare innovation.Follow Maya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Jan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-poleszczuk-70200117/Learn more about CliniNote: https://clininote.com/ (00:00) - Introduction and Background (02:58) - The issues with RWD (06:47) - The Importance of Medical Notes in Real-World Data (11:34) - Automating Transcription of Doctors' Notes (17:09) - Empowering Doctors to Generate High-Quality Data (19:28) - Focusing on Doctors' Jobs to Improve Real-World Data (21:26) - Conclusion and Future of Real-World Data

Meet Esther Howard, Mental Health Advocate, Researcher and CEO of Bezyl. In this conversation, Esther shares her unique perspective on the importance of understanding patient journey, not just as a scientific necessity, but as a fundamental human duty for researchers. Esther explores the three critical prongs of patient journey: standard of care, the specifics of the patient's disease, and the often-overlooked aspects of their daily lives. She emphasizes the need for researchers to look beyond the protocol and embrace a more holistic view of patients' experiences, arguing that by embracing our human duty to understand and empathize with patients' experiences, we can not only advance scientific knowledge but also create a more compassionate and patient-centric approach to clinical research.Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/ Follow Esther Howard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-howard-7352b3b3/ Learn more about Bezyl: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bezyl/ (00:00) - Introduction and Background (03:22) - Understanding the Patient Journey (11:38) - The Importance of the Patient Journey (18:42) - Patient Needs and Perception (22:22) - The Role of Real-World Data (28:57) - Implications for Clinical Trials

Meet Heidi Floyd, a breast cancer survivor, patient advocate, and champion for transforming clinical trials through authentic patient engagement. In this powerful episode, Heidi shares her remarkable journey of navigating cancer treatment while pregnant.Heidi emphasizes the critical importance of building meaningful relationships between patients, healthcare providers, and clinical trial teams. She discusses the common reasons patients may choose to quit clinical trials and the need for greater understanding and support of patient circumstances.Follow Maya Zlatanova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayazlatanova/Follow Heidi Floyd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-floyd-b89b179/ (00:00) - Introduction and Heidi's Breast Cancer Journey (04:06) - Becoming a Patient Advocate (06:36) - The Importance of Patient Engagement (10:27) - Addressing Financial and Logistical Barriers (15:28) - The Role of Technology in Patient Engagement (19:28) - The Choice for Pregnant Women in Clinical Research