I work at a relatively small CRO and have been there for nearly a decade. Over that time, I have seen some cultural shifts, especially in the past six years.
One pattern stands out. Every study my team works on ends up being described internally as “the worst study” or “the worst sponsor to deal with.” This happens consistently, regardless of sponsor, indication, or study design.
The common factors tend to be aggressive timelines, high pressure around milestones, and a general sense that expectations are misaligned from the start.
I am trying to figure out whether this reflects a broader industry shift toward more compressed timelines and sponsor pressure, or whether it is more likely a reflection of internal culture and leadership shaping how these studies are framed and experienced.
Has anyone else seen a similar pattern across multiple studies, or does this sound more like an issue within a single organization?