Clinical Trial Abundance Symposium 2026

Fundamental changes are needed to the West’s drug development and human subject research regime. Since 1950, the number of new drugs approved per billion U.S. dollars spent on R&D has halved every ~9 years (“Eroom’s Law”). From the 1980s to the 1990s, clinical trial costs grew 5x faster than pre-clinical costs. In 1998, those trials constituted 28% of drug development costs; by 2008 their share had risen to 54%. 

1Day Sooner and the Foundation for American Innovation, in collaboration with Renaissance Philanthropy and the Institute for Progress, seek to build a movement to generate cheap, abundant health evidence and bring about change to the clinical trial ecosystem. This gathering comes at a pivotal moment. PDUFA VIII reauthorization in 2027 faces a chaotic landscape, with critics across the political spectrum questioning fundamental assumptions about drug development funding and regulation. While there are promising efforts to introduce clinical trial reform bills, the legislative process requires strong ideas, careful socialization with decision-makers, and a committed coalition. This symposium is the centerpiece of our effort to ensure that every policy priority is well-researched and understood before embarking on a legislative push in the coming months.