2nd DECENTRALIZED & HYBRID CLINICAL TRIALS WORLD CONGRESS 2026 EUROPE
Redefining Clinical Research Through Decentralization, Technology, and Collaboration
Wednesday 25th - Thursday 26th February 2026
Facilitate Live is very pleased to welcome you to our upcoming 2nd Decentralized & Hybrid Clinical Trials World Congress 2026 Europe.
DCTs continue to transform the landscape of clinical research by enabling studies to be conducted beyond traditional trial sites. This flexible approach allows participants to complete study activities from home, local healthcare facilities, or nearby laboratories reducing or eliminating the need to travel to a central research location. Supported by virtual collaboration among investigators and local medical teams, DCTs leverage digital health technologies such as mobile applications, wearable devices, telemedicine, video consultations, and home health visits. Together, these innovations expand access to diverse participant populations and accelerate the collection of high-quality real-world data in a more cost-effective and patient centric manner.
As decentralized protocols gain global traction, they are redefining patient engagement by offering greater flexibility and choice —particularly valuable for individuals with rare conditions, mobility limitations, or those living in remote areas. The advantages of DCTs are far reaching, including reduced barriers to participation, improved diversity and inclusion in clinical trials, enhanced recruitment and retention, opportunities to study low-prevalence diseases, shorter development timelines, faster access to innovative therapies, and improved data accuracy—all contributing to more efficient and equitable healthcare delivery.
However, DCTs also bring new considerations. Trial design must address the complexities of data collection, management, and interoperability across multiple digital platforms. Variability in technology use can affect data quality, and participants may face challenges using connected devices correctly. Therefore, researchers must ensure that consent, data entry, and withdrawal processes are intuitive and patient friendly. Strong data privacy and cybersecurity measures are essential to safeguard sensitive information. Ensuring participant safety, managing potential technology failures, and maintaining regulatory compliance across jurisdictions remain critical priorities. Additionally, hybrid approaches should continue to accommodate participants who prefer in person visits or require additional support using digital tools.
The 2nd Decentralized and Hybrid Trials World Congress 2026 – Europe will convene leading experts, regulators, technology innovators, and patient representatives to discuss strategies, share best practices, and showcase new technologies driving the next phase of decentralized research. Attendees can look forward to an engaging, collaborative, and forward thinking exchange of ideas designed to advance the global adoption and impact of DCTs.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Decentralized & Hybrid Clinical Trials World Congress 2026 Europe.
Sincerely yours,
Jocelyn Raguindin
Conference Director
Facilitate Live
Gain The Latest Insights On:
- Overcoming Implementation Barriers: Identify and mitigate common hurdles in adopting decentralized research.
- Enhancing Participant Experience: Improve convenience, engagement, and support for patients in DCTs.
- Optimizing Communication and Productivity: Address challenges in communication and workflow efficiency within decentralized trials.
- Navigating Regulatory Landscape: Understand current and emerging regulatory guidelines for DCT compliance and ethics.
- Ensuring Patient Safety and Data Integrity: Assess the impact of decentralized elements on safety and implement measures to reduce errors.
- Achieving Patient Centricity: Balance research efficacy and participant well being in DCTs.
- Driving Growth and Success: Foster the continued success and expansion of decentralized clinical trials.
- Broadening Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Leverage technology to enhance participant diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Key Planning and Execution Milestones: Understand essential milestones for successful DCT planning and execution.
- Industry Collaboration and Leadership Insights: Network with leaders to gain operational insights and ethical guidance on Hybrid & Full DCTs.
Sponsorship & Exhibit Opportunities
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The impact you make and how you get your message across at our Facilitate Live Events is up to you – we offer packages or tailor made solutions to meet your exact requirements and budget.
By sponsoring a Facilitate Live Event you will be exposed to the following:
- Access to key decision makers
- Direct access to our delegates and attendees
- Increase worldwide awareness of your organisations latest products and services
- Drive and create new business opportunities
- Generate new contacts and renewed interest for your product of expertise
- Be recognised as a key player and a key supporter of your industry sector
- Demonstrate your organization’s commitment
- Demonstrate your excellence as a technical supplier
- Show brand awareness and brand building
- Brand and product endorsements
- Extensive pre-show and post-show coverage
Solution Showcase
Showcase your latest cutting-edge solutions, new products, technology, innovations and trend. Meet face to face with high level decision makers who are in a receptive mindset and actively seeking solutions and services.
As an exhibitor you will gain access to this exclusive captive audience and have the opportunity to:
- Speak to the attendees and demonstrate your product / services at the solution showcase network to captive and receptive key decision makers
- Gain exposure to one of our Facilitate Live
- Host a networking drinks reception or lunch for attendees
- Meet one-on-one with attendees
- Generate a high number of leads with senior decision makers
- Meet your peers and exhibit alongside your competitors
- Present case studies and in-depth information in a solution provider showcase session
- Present case studies and in-depth information in a solution provider showcase session
- Educate the market with your product and technology solutions
Sponsorship & Exhibit Inquiries
Email: Sponsor@facilitatelive.com Tel No: +44 (0)207 193 3485
Who Should Attend:
This Congress will provide information to pharmaceutical and biotech companies, researchers, physicians, institutional review boards (IRBs), patient organizations and advocates, and regulatory agencies about the implementation of Real-World Evidence.
Network with members of the boards, VP’s, Directors, Heads/Chiefs, and Senior Managers of leading Pharmaceuticals and Biotech Companies, Government, CRO’s and Solution Providers Involved in:
- Decentralized Clinical Trials Operations
- Hybrid Trials
- Clinical Data Management
- Clinical Development & Operations
- Clinical Trial Tools & Technologies
- Clinical Strategy
- Patient Engagement
- Data Management
- Digital Health Process & Solution
- Clinical Research
- Statistical Scientist
- Regulatory Affairs
- Clinical Studies
- Clinical Operations
- Clinical Trial Site
- Trial Designs
- Patient Advocacy
- Consultant
- Clinical Research
- Global Development Solutions
- Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA)
- Contract Research Organizations
- Medical Affairs, Global Patient Advocacy & Alliances
- Government Policy and Advocacy
- Digital Patient Experience Lead
- Clinical Insights and Experience
- Head of Strategy, Access Services
- Product Lifecycle
- Patient and Disease Registries
- Scientific Affairs
- Electronic & Medical Records
- Lab & Biomarkers
- Medical and Pharmacy data
- Clinical Supply Chain Management
- Digital Strategy and Engagement
- Patient Recruitment and Retention
- Academia
- And much more…
Co-located with Patient Centricity & Collaboration World Congress 2026 Europe.
Joint Networking & Exhibit Area.
Website: www.patientcentricityworld.com
- What are the main internal and external barriers to achieving genuine patient centricity?
- What are the key elements for creating an authentically patient-centric company culture?
- What are the challenges and opportunities in shifting to a patient-centric mindset?
- How can a patient-centric culture improve patient access and transparency?
- How can patients be meaningfully involved in the drug development process, from early research to post-market surveillance?
Moderator:
Rosanna Forrest, Director, Patient Engagement, Spectrum Science
Panellists:
Tom Croce, Vice President, Global Patient Advocacy, Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Matthew Reaney, Head of Global Science & Analytics, Patient Centered Solutions (PCS), IQVIA
Danielle Drachmann. Senior Patient Partnering Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Daniel Newman, Patient Advocate, Trueheart International
Jasmine Malone, Group Director for Patient Engagement Content and Storytelling, OPEN Health
Maddie Yorke, Advocacy Services Senior Manager, PPD
(DCT Congress Attendees, please proceed to Cambridge Suite)
Regulation, Collaboration, and Patient Engagement
Amelia Hursey, Strategic Director, Parkinson’s Europe
- MHRA patient involvement strategy
- Current landscape and regulatory considerations
Khadija Rantell, Senior Statistical Assessor, MHRA
- Decentralised elements in Clinical trials
- Industry’s perspectives in adopting DCT elements in Clinical Trials
- How European regulators are enabling DCT adoption
- EFPIA Recommendation Paper on Advancing the Use of Decentralised Elements in Clinical Trials
Elizabeth Theogaraj, Regulatory Senior Group Director, Roche
- Understanding patient challenges: The barriers VWD patients face in clinical research and why their experiences matter.
- Co-creating research from the start: How early patient input ensures trial endpoints reflect what truly matters to the community.
- Making trials more accessible: How decentralized and hybrid models reduce burden and enable broader participation.
- Empowering patients through PPIE: VWD Alliance’s new Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement group gives the community a voice in trial design and decision-making
Cat Wilder, Chair, Von Willebrand Disease Alliance
- Understanding the challenges of delivering rare disease studies
- Study design that considers patient needs
- Where DCT elements offer the most impact
- Looking to the future of DCTs
Catherine Jervis, Head, DCT Market Development – EMEA, MARKEN
- Governance, regulatory and clinical frameworks
- Ethical perspectives
- Operational feasibility
Emma Kinloch, CEO, Salivary Gland Cancer UK
- Scientific rigour and regulatory needs are critical considerations when designing clinical trials and creating protocols.
- How well, though, do we really strike a balance between these needs and the associated burden and complexity they place on our patients and clinical trial sites?
- An exploration of this balancing act, and how we – as a clinical research community – might strive to achieve it through tried and tested methods e.g. patient councils, as well as using disruptive innovations, such as protocol simulations.
Dr Sachin Shah, Clinical Innovation and Digital Solutions Lead, UCB
- A five letter code: what a diagnosis unlocks
- Building momentum: patients, science, collaboration
- From repurposing to personalised medicine: progress, promise, and barriers in ultra-rare treatment development
- Why speed matters: the cost of waiting
Melanie Dixon, Trustee, Cure DHDDS
- Blending virtual and in-person interactions to enhance experience
- Supporting patients through multilingual, digital, and in-clinic channels
- Ensuring safety, adherence, and satisfaction in hybrid environments
- The path toward a unified, inclusive European patient-centric model
Nadya Isack, Patient and Public Involvement (PPIE) Advocate, Founder, Empower Health Initiative CIC,
Person living with Obesity
- Harnessing national participant experience data for real-world patient insights.
- Proactively co-design protocols to minimise participant burden.
- Activating NIHR Agile teams for out-of-hospital delivery.
- Navigating community logistics with dedicated Settings Leads.
Emily Pickering, Specialist Commercial Services Lead, Patient Engagement in Clinical Development, NIHR
Research Delivery Network
- Monitoring acute kidney injuries in nephrotoxic regimens.
- Monitoring fatigue in early phase cancer clinical trials
- Remote PROMs for early phase cancer clinical trials.
- Involvement of patients as co-researchers in remote digitally enabled studies.
Hannah Frost, Clinical Research Scientist, CRUK National Biomarker Centre
Amelia Hursey, Strategic Director, parkinsonseurope.org
Stephen O’Farrell, Executive Director, Patient Engagement, Spectrum Science
Frida Forya, Scientific Alliance Director – Medical Affairs, Roche
- Fostering community engagement and build trust
- Designing a patient-centric, inclusive trials
- Cultivating an inclusive research environment
- Leveraging technology and data
- Adopting regulatory requirements and institutional support
Moderator:
Ify Osunkwo, Chief Patient Officer Rare Disease, Novo Nordisk Rare Disease
Panellists:
Emily Pickering, Patient Engagement in Clinical Development Service Lead, NIHR
Faith Smith, Health Innovation Network, England
Ron Hillel , Associate Director, Clinical Representativeness, Patient Engagement, Novartis
Emma Sutcliffe, Trustee Board Member, SL61A
Anthony Mason, Chief Executive Officer , Sickle Cell Care Manchester
(DCT Congress Attendees, please proceed to Cambridge Suite)
Robert Mitchell-Thain, CEO, PBC Foundation
TECHNOLOGY, OPERATIONS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
- Turning sustainability goals into measurable action requires, more than intent, it demands collaboration, innovation and integration across every stage of the clinical trials process.
- This presentation and panel discussion brings together leaders from across the clinical research landscape to explore how environmental consideration are being embedded into trial operations in practical, scalable ways.
- The session will explore how to use available tools, such as the clinical trials carbon calculator to assess and reduce trial emissions, discuss how to decarbonise the patient journey from recruitment to retention and build cross-sectoral partnerships to scale sustainable solutions.
Moderator:
Fiona Adshead, Chair, Sustainable Healthcare Coalition
Panellist:
Carly Santer, Strategic Initiatives Project Leader & Sustainability Activator, Bayer UK
Joanna Bell, Project Manager, Sustainable Healthcare Coalition
Hugh Whetherly, Sr Consultant, Product Sustainability Team, ERM
Senior Representative, NovoNordisk
- Identify structural barriers to recruitment and retention in clinical research.
- Develop strategies to enhance recruitment and retention of individuals.
- Feasible approaches to improve patient retention in clinical trials.
Mohamed Sharaf, EMEA Regional Senior Medical Advisor (Immunology), J & J
- This talk explores what it really means to undertake inclusive research in practice, drawing on the work of EDIRA the Equality, Diversity and Inclusive Research Association. Building on three EDIRA events, it traces a journey from
EDIRA-23 Barriers to Inclusion, to EDIRA-24 Building Trust, to EDIRA-25 Book of Doers who are changing how
research is conceived, designed, and delivered - The focus for EDIRA-26
- Throughout, the session the underlying theme will be based on a central question: “Whose voice is it anyway?” challenging delegates to examine whose voices are centred, whose are marginalised, and how lived experience can be recognised as core research expertise rather than an optional add on.
Dr Sondra Butterworth CEO & Founder, RareQoL (Rare Quality of Life) and EDIRA (Equality Diversity and
Inclusive Research Association)
- How electronic healthcare record (EHR) data from UK primary care practice has been used to find and recruit eligible patients for clinical trials, provide follow-up data to ascertain clinical trial outcomes, support safety monitoring and for external control arms.
- Key regulatory considerations around data quality when using EHR data to support clinical trials.
Puja Myles, Director, Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), M H R A
- This presenation will focus the major challenges clinical trials are facing and how we can turn these challenges into solutions to implement for future trial design.
- This will include learnings from actual patient engagement projects and present how implementing patient perspecitives into DCT and future trial design might be the way forward for DCT and drug development.
Rasmus Hjorth, Head of Communication, James Lind Care
- The session focuses on how participants experience trial burden, support, and value, and why these factors directly impact recruitment, retention, and data quality.
- The session concludes with practical guidance on how sponsors can operationalise patient preferences to move from patient-informed to truly patient-ready trial design and delivery.
Alexandra Charge, CEO and Co-Founder, ISPEP
- This talk will explore how patient insights can guide the design and implementation of decentralized and hybrid clinical trials from early development stages.
- By incorporating the patient perspective, sponsors can adapt endpoints, visit schedules, and participation burden to better reflect real-world needs, improving recruitment, retention, and overall patient satisfaction.
- Practical examples will be shared demonstrating how decentralized approaches — including digital tools, telemonitoring, ePROs, and wearable devices — can be leveraged to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and engagement.
Laura Risueño Ayerbe, Global Patient Affairs, Patient Engagement R&D, Servier
- How are decentralized trials evolving from pilot initiatives to Europe’s new research standard?
- How can decentralized models be effectively integrated with national healthcare systems?
- How can AI and real-world data enhance adaptive and data-driven study design?
- How can transparency and data ownership strengthen patient trust and engagement?
- How will decentralized trials become a core pillar of the European Health Union?
Moderator:
Puja Myles, Director, Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), MHRA
Panellists:
Lorna Pender, Medical Director, AOP Health Alexandra Charge, CEO and Co-Founder, ISPEP
Dr Sondra Butterworth CEO & Founder, RareQoL and EDIRA
Robert Mitchell-Thain, CEO, PBC Foundation