Clinical Trial Patient Recruitment Services Market Report 2025

The clinical trial patient recruitment services market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $3.1 billion in 2024 to $3.37 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to the rising prevalence of rare and ultra-rare diseases, an increasing number of clinical trials, growing demand for diverse patient populations, and the expanding adoption of decentralized and hybrid trial models.

The clinical trial patient recruitment services market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.61 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2%. The growth during the forecast period can be attributed to the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing demand for personalized medicines, growing healthcare expenditures, and the increasing complexity of clinical trials. Key trends expected in the forecast period include innovations in cross-border participant tracking, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, integration with electronic health records (EHRs), incorporation of real-world data (RWD) and claims databases, and the adoption of cloud-based trial management systems.

The increasing number of clinical trials is expected to drive the growth of the clinical trial patient recruitment services market in the coming years. Clinical trials are research studies involving human participants to assess the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of medical interventions such as drugs, therapies, or devices. The rising number of clinical trials is primarily driven by advancements in biotechnology, which facilitate the development of more precise and innovative therapies that require clinical evaluation. Clinical trial patient recruitment services support this growth by streamlining the identification, engagement, and enrollment of suitable participants. They help reduce delays and improve trial efficiency by ensuring timely and adequate patient enrollment, thereby enhancing overall study success and data reliability. For example, in December 2024, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), a UK-based non-profit organization, reported that the total number of industry-sponsored clinical trials initiated increased from 411 trials in 2022 to 426 in 2023. Consequently, the growing number of clinical trials is fueling the expansion of the clinical trial patient recruitment services market.

Key companies in the clinical trial patient recruitment services market are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to streamline patient pre-screening, improve eligibility matching accuracy, and accelerate enrollment timelines. An AI agent is a software program capable of independently perceiving information, making decisions, and performing tasks using artificial intelligence techniques to achieve specific objectives. For instance, in January 2025, Inato, a France-based technology company, launched an AI-powered patient pre-screening tool. This tool leverages advanced AI to automate and speed up patient eligibility screening, significantly reducing site workload while maintaining high accuracy and ensuring data privacy. By enhancing patient matching precision, streamlining site operations, and accelerating enrollment, this AI-powered pre-screening tool supports more efficient clinical trial processes.

In March 2022, M&B Sciences Inc., a US-based clinical research services company, acquired Clara Health Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, M\&B Sciences Inc. aims to strengthen its patient recruitment and retention capabilities, enhancing its ability to support efficient and timely enrollment for clinical trials. Clara Health Inc., based in the US, specializes in patient recruitment and retention solutions for clinical studies.

Major players in the clinical trial patient recruitment services market are IQVIA Holdings Inc., Labcorp Drug Development, ICON plc, Syneos Health Inc., MMG Inc., Medpace Holdings Inc., WCG Clinical, Worldwide Clinical Trials LLC, Elligo Health Research Inc., Science 37 Holdings Inc., SubjectWell Inc., Trialbee AB, AutoCruitment LLC, StudyKIK LLC, BBK Worldwide LLC, Antidote Technologies Inc., Clariness GmbH, Trialfacts Pty Ltd, Praxis Communications LLC, Ardent Clinical Research Services Pvt Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the clinical trial patient recruitment services market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in clinical trial patient recruitment services market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the clinical trial patient recruitment services market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sudden escalation of U.S. tariffs and the consequent trade frictions in spring 2025 are severely impacting the healthcare sector, particularly in the supply of critical medical devices, diagnostic equipment, and pharmaceuticals. Hospitals and healthcare providers are facing higher costs for imported surgical instruments, imaging equipment, and consumables such as syringes and catheters, many of which have limited domestic alternatives. These increased costs are straining healthcare budgets, leading some providers to delay equipment upgrades or pass on expenses to patients. Additionally, tariffs on raw materials and components are disrupting the production of essential drugs and devices, causing supply chain bottlenecks. In response, the industry is diversifying sourcing strategies, boosting local manufacturing where possible, and advocating for tariff exemptions on life-saving medical products.

Clinical trial patient recruitment services encompass the identification, engagement, and enrollment of suitable participants for clinical studies. Their primary goal is to ensure timely and adequate patient enrollment, which is crucial for the success, validity, and efficiency of clinical trials. These services often include outreach, screening, and patient education to optimize both recruitment and retention.

The main types of clinical trial patient recruitment services include patient recruitment and registry services, patient retention services, and others. Patient recruitment and registry services involve identifying, enrolling, and maintaining databases of eligible participants for clinical trials or research studies, facilitating efficient enrollment and long-term participant tracking. These services cover various phases, including Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and Phase IV, and are applied across multiple therapeutic areas, such as respiratory diseases, pain and anesthesia, oncology, central nervous system disorders, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine disorders, anti-infective treatments, and more. Recruitment channels include investigator-site-led approaches, contract research organization (CRO)-led strategies, direct-to-patient outreach, and patient-advocacy group partnerships. Key end-users include pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, CROs, and clinical research institutions.

The clinical trial patient recruitment services market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides clinical trial patient recruitment services market statistics, including the clinical trial patient recruitment services industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the clinical trial patient recruitment services market share, detailed clinical trial patient recruitment services market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the clinical trial patient recruitment services industry. This clinical trial patient recruitment services market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The clinical trial patient recruitment services market includes revenues earned by entities through patient identification, pre-screening and eligibility assessment, site feasibility support, multi-channel patient outreach campaigns, and database management. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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