Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation

What Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation does

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 to educate and engage the public and patients as partners in the clinical research process. The organization operates four integrated service pillars: (1) Health Communication Services producing plain-language protocol synopses, informed consent forms, trial results summaries, and publication summaries for research sponsors — a practice it has led since 2009 and now offers in a "Human-Led, AI-Supported Communications" variant; (2) Research Services comprising patient and care partner advisory boards, site-staff engagement, and the biennial Perceptions and Insights Study — the largest global dataset of public and patient perceptions on clinical research, with 12,000+ responses in 2025 and a newly launched interactive data dashboard; (3) Community Engagement Programs, notably the AWARE for All events across 45 cities and the Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit across 50+ cities, which together have reached 30,000+ people over the past decade; and (4) the free Search Clinical Trials matching service launched in 2005, which has processed 18,000+ search requests and shared 50,000+ trials with patients.

CISCRP's revenue model blends three streams: (a) fee-based professional services sold through direct enterprise engagement to pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies (40+ clients annually across 45+ countries), as well as to CROs, academic institutions, and patient advocacy organizations; (b) corporate sponsorships for community programs (e.g., AWARE for All, Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit, Search Clinical Trials); and (c) charitable donations supporting its global patient-education mission. All patient-facing services and public reports are free; professional services are project-based and quote-driven.

The organization is independent of any parent company or sponsor, governed by its educational mission, and does not disclose financials. Notable enterprise customers named in case studies and testimonials include Novartis, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Boston Scientific, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Beam Therapeutics, and Bayer; strategic partners include Gilead Sciences (on trial diversity) and Biogen (on the "Results that Matter" individual study data return initiative). The organization has 11–50 employees and is led by Founder and Chairman Ken Getz.

Name

Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation

Legal name

Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation, Inc.

Website

https://ciscrp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CISCRP is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that educates the public on clinical trial participation and delivers plain language health communications, patient advisory boards, community outreach, and a free trial-matching service to pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Fee-based professional services including health communication services (lay language summaries, protocol synopsis, informed consent forms, trial results summaries), research services (patient advisory boards, surveys, interviews), and community engagement programs for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies.
2. Sponsorship Programs: Corporate sponsorships for community engagement programs, event sponsorships, and Search Clinical Trials service support. Organizations sponsor AWARE for All events, Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit, and other outreach initiatives.
3. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, CISCRP accepts donations to support global education initiatives that empower the public to make informed decisions about clinical research participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CISCRP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that educates and engages the public and patients as partners in the clinical research process. It delivers fee-based professional services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies including plain language health communications (protocol synopses, informed consent forms, trial results summaries, publication summaries), patient-focused research services (advisory boards, perception studies, surveys), and community engagement programs. It also offers free public-facing services including a clinical trial matching service, educational resources, and community events.

Product overview

CISCRP operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a diversified portfolio of clinical research education and patient engagement services. The core offerings include: (1) Health Communication Services - a comprehensive suite producing plain language clinical trial documents including protocol synopses, informed consent forms, trial results summaries, and publication summaries, now enhanced with Human-Led, AI-Supported Communications that combines AI-assisted drafting with rigorous human editorial review; (2) Research Services including Patient & Care Partner Advisory Boards and the biennial Perceptions and Insights Study - the largest global assessment of public perceptions of clinical research with an interactive data dashboard; (3) Community Engagement Programs featuring the Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit and AWARE for All events reaching tens of thousands of people; (4) Search Clinical Trials - a free personalized trial matching service that has connected over 50,000 patients with trials; and (5) an Education Center providing brochures, videos, FAQs, webinars, and articles. These services work together to inform, engage, and empower patients and the public as partners in clinical research, serving pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, CROs, and patient advocacy organizations across 45+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health Communication Services Comprehensive suite of plain language clinical research communication services including protocol synopses, informed consent forms, trial results summaries, and publication summaries, led since 2009 with a large health communications team trained in health literacy best practices. Designed for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies seeking patient-centric communications and EU Clinical Trials Regulation compliance.
• Research Services Patient engagement research services including patient and care partner advisory boards, perception studies, surveys, individual interviews, site staff engagement, and custom research projects. Extensive global experience with 500+ protocols reviewed across 150+ diseases and medical conditions in 35+ countries. Designed for pharmaceutical, biotech, CRO, and academic clients.
• AWARE for All Community-focused educational events that provide platforms for individuals to ask questions, share experiences, and gain clarity on clinical trial participation. Active in 45 cities worldwide with 10,000+ people reached; 80% of attendees report being very likely to participate in a clinical trial after attending.
• Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit A mobile educational exhibit that brings clinical research information directly to communities, visiting cities nationwide with trained staff engaging the public in conversations about clinical research. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and other partners.
• Search Clinical Trials Free expert-led clinical trial matching service that searches thousands of studies and delivers personalized trial matches based on medical condition and location. Free for patients with staff available by email or phone; sponsorship opportunities available for partners. 52% of users found 1+ trials a good fit.
• Education Center Public-facing educational resource center providing brochures, videos, medical hero stories, FAQs, infographics, and clinical trial search tools to help people understand clinical research participation. Designed for patients, families, and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 63% of community event attendees are more willing to join a clinical trial after attending CISCRP events
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Gilead SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISCRP is partnering with Gilead to spread awareness on the importance of diversifying clinical trials to develop the most effective treatments for all who need them. The partnership focuses on representation in research and developing resources for underrepresented communities including Black and African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and LGBTQ+ communities.
• BiogencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISCRP and Biogen partnered with patients to co-create an individual data return template to meet participant needs. The collaboration resulted in the 'Results that Matter' initiative focusing on co-creating individual study data reports with patients.
• Boehringer IngelheimmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoehringer Ingelheim sponsors the Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit, supporting community outreach initiatives that bring clinical research education to underserved communities.
• Beam TherapeuticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeam Therapeutics supports CISCRP's community engagement programs as a sponsor.
• Gilead Sciences (diversity campaign)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership campaign called 'Representation in Clinical Trials for All Patients' focused on spreading awareness about diversity in clinical research through community outreach and educational materials.
• Michael J. Fox FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Foundation provided testimonial support for the Journey to Better Health Mobile Exhibit program, recognizing the importance of community-based clinical research education.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• CureClick: Crowd-sourced clinical trial awareness and referral platform aimed at accelerating recruitment — partially overlapping with CISCRP's community engagement and trial awareness programs.
• WEGO Health: Network of patient influencers and advocates used by life sciences companies for engagement — comparable in connecting patient communities to pharma sponsors, though focused on influencer activation.
• Savvy Cooperative: Patient co-op that connects life sciences companies directly with patients for insights and co-creation — competes in patient advisory and qualitative research work similar to CISCRP's Research Services.

Broad incumbents

• PatientsLikeMe: Patient community and real-world data platform serving research sponsors — comparable patient-centric model with broader data and community capabilities than CISCRP.
• Inspire: Large patient community platform used by life sciences for research, advocacy and insights — overlaps with CISCRP's community engagement and patient research services but operates at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Antidote: Clinical trial search and matching platform for patients and sponsors — directly comparable to CISCRP's Search Clinical Trials service in functionality and target audience.
• Patient Empowerment Network: Non-profit providing patient education and advocacy resources across disease areas — comparable mission and audience to CISCRP's public education work.
• BBK Worldwide: Patient recruitment and engagement agency serving pharma, biotech and CROs on clinical trial participation — closely comparable to CISCRP's sponsor-facing patient engagement work, though focused on recruitment rather than education.
• CenterWatch: Long-running publisher and information provider on clinical trials for patients and professionals — overlapping with CISCRP's public-facing education and trial information offerings.
• Clara Health: Clinical trial search and patient concierge service that helps patients find and enroll in trials — competing in the same trial matching category as CISCRP's Search Clinical Trials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ciscrp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0cvS1_aGQU8ryR0f9nrQxg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ciscrppage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ciscrp
• Instagraminstagram.com/ciscrp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation