Opinion: STAT+: Enough, already: the problem with clinical trial data collection

Clinical trial data collection practices are increasingly burdensome and inefficient, with nearly 30% of collected data not directly informing key decisions, according to research published in December 2025 by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development and TransCelerate. This inefficiency persists despite technological advancements in the clinical research ecosystem. The number of procedures per clinical trial protocol has risen by approximately 140% since 2005, while endpoints have increased by over 200% and the volume of data points collected has surged by more than 600%. This trend towards collecting more data, often referred to as a "more is better" approach, is perceived by R&D heads from 18 major pharmaceutical companies as detrimental to the effectiveness of trials rather than beneficial. The current system places an undue burden on patients who are still asked to provide this non-essential information, highlighting a fundamental flaw in the industry's data collection strategy.