Organised jointly by the SCTO and the Clinical Trial Center (CTC) Zürich, the full-day SCTO Symposium 2026 in Zürich, titled AI meets Clinical Research: Navigating regulatory, ethical, and legal frontiers, was a great success, bringing together more than 200 participants from academia, healthcare, industry, and regulatory bodies.

Yesterday, experts from these sectors gathered in Zürich to tackle one of the most pressing questions in clinical research: How to harness the potential of AI while navigating its regulatory, ethical, and legal challenges.

The day brought together inspiring keynotes, real-world case studies, and rich discussions on AI in clinical trials, implementation science, informed consent, data protection, and regulatory frameworks.

The closing remarks by the Prof. Dr. med. Alessandro Ceschi, M.Sc, SCTO President and Dr. med. Regina Grossmann, Head of CTC Zürich captured the spirit of the day well:

• AI as a tool, not a substitute for thought. AI accelerates processes and expands knowledge, but it must not replace critical thinking. The technology amplifies our capabilities; the judgment remains ours.
• Transformation goes both ways. AI is transforming clinical research, and AI itself is still being transformed. We are at an early stage, and the benefits and constraints must be weighed carefully.
• AI adoption in clinical research calls for parallel progress on regulatory clarity, legal frameworks, and public trust.
• Speed is not an end in itself. The fact that AI lets us move faster does not mean we always should. Pace must serve purpose.
• Collaboration is the path forward. The diversity of participants at this symposium was itself a statement , the challenges ahead require interdisciplinary dialogue, clear frameworks, and shared responsibility.

A sincere thank you to all speakers, participants, partners and organisers who contributed to such an inspiring and valuable event. We look forward to continuing the conversation and shaping the future of AI in clinical research together.

We look forward to welcoming you to the SCTO Symposium 2027 in Geneva.

Discover the programme and learn more about the speakers and their talks here: