When it comes to clinical trials and health research, building trust with participants and engaging with community members is key. Without connection and meaningful engagement, the relevance of research may not be clear to potential participants, and they may feel their voices are not heard in work that affects them.

That’s why our REACH BC team has been connecting with volunteers, people with lived experience, and other partners through recent events and opportunities. Since January, the team has heard insightful feedback from different users — from patients to researchers — and saw over 500 new sign-ups to the platform. In February alone, the platform saw 400+ new volunteer sign-ups, twice the usual monthly amount.

Here’s a snapshot of the places and people that REACH BC has engaged so far in 2026.

REACH BC shared a booth with Providence Research and was thrilled to join 200+ exhibitors at The Wellness Show in January. Over 12,000 people attended the event, including health-conscious consumers, influencers, and professionals. The team spoke with people about volunteering in health research and clinical trials, the difference between the two, and different ways to get involved — as a volunteer, trial participant, or patient partner.

In early March, the team spoke to a group of 30+ patient partners and health system staff at the Patient Partner Network Gathering. The meeting was hosted by the BC SUPPORT Unit.

Event attendees learned about REACH BC and even had the chance to user test part of the platform in small groups. Their valuable feedback and insights will help guide future development plans for the platform, continuously shaping REACH BC into a more accessible and user-friendly space for everyone.

At Putting Patients First 2026, the REACH BC team hosted a booth where they got to know patients, researchers, clinicians, healthcare providers, and other attendees. One researcher shared that they were very excited to learn more about the platform and how it could help them in their next project.

How can patients participate and get involved in clinical trials?

It’s a question that many people in BC have, and one that the REACH BC team sought to answer. They co-presented on this topic at an Okanagan Embrace Aging Month webinar, alongside patient partner Anita David.

Anita spoke about her longstanding experience with REACH BC, having been involved in the platform’s development even before its launch. She shared her journey as a patient partner, how she uses the platform and what other people with lived experience can expect, and the power of being able to engage in research.

REACH BC is an initiative of Clinical Trials British Columbia. It receives funding and support from Michael Smith Health Research BC and the BC SUPPORT Unit, which is funded under Canada’s Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR).