A Neutral, Multi-Stakeholder Initiative
Born out of initial calls to action from patient advocates and leaders, the CTDN initiative was first incubated from within PFMD to address these critical challenges.
As a multi-stakeholder and neutral platform, PFMD provided a safe space to bring the right stakeholders together to collaborate openly and defragment the existing landscape.
Build on Three Core Pillars
CTDN operates through a structured model designed to ensure technical robustness, scientific integrity, and long-term sustainability.
Pillar 1 - Global Technical Architecture
We develop and maintain a global technical architecture to enhance the enrichment, structuring, and distribution of clinical trial information.
This includes defining data standards and establishing data exchange flows across the clinical trial ecosystem.
Pillar 2 - Representativeness & Inclusion
CTDN works to ensure scientific representativeness of patients in clinical trials.
This includes identifying and addressing the barriers faced by underserved and underrepresented populations in accessing clinical trials globally.
Pillar 3 - Sustainability & Scale
CTDN is designed as a long-term infrastructure initiative.
This includes defining data standards and establishing data exchange flows across the clinical trial ecosystem.
Partnerships & Institutional Collaboration
CTDN collaborates with global institutions, standards bodies, and research partners to ensure alignment and interoperability.
To advance these goals, the CTDN contributors (incl. The Synergist, Roche and others) have joined a large European Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative aimed at creating a more integrated clinical trial ecosystem that will support the inclusion of patients usually underserved and underrepresented.
Through this partnership, CTDN will benefit from an established ecosystem to bring core components of its digital solution to life and test key elements.
This collaboration ensures CTDN complements — rather than competes with — existing ecosystem efforts.
Building CTDN Step by Step
CTDN has already delivered key foundational components:
- First AI-driven structuring of ClinicalTrials.gov data
- Deployment of the Study Definition Repository (SDR) on Massachusetts Open Cloud
- Structuring of protocol descriptions into USDM format
Next Phase
- Structuring granular inclusion and exclusion criteria
- Expanding interoperability across global registries
- Scaling pilots across regions and therapeutic areas
How Stakeholders Engage
CTDN advances through structured collaboration:
- Accuracy of structured eligibility outputs
- Usability across real-world workflows
- Interoperability with existing systems
- Feasibility for integration within your organisation