Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is teaming up with precision medicine company Medzown to make it easier for members with complex conditions to participate in clinical trials.

In the partnership, Medzown's tech stack will identify the members that are most likely to benefit from a novel therapy for their condition, and then match them with potential clinical trials. The company will then deploy a team of scientists, clinical trial experts and care navigators to work alongside the patient and their care team through the process.

Jennifer Levin Carter, M.D., the CEO of Medzown, told Fierce Healthcare that there's no shortage of new drugs and therapies coming through the pipeline for complex diseases like cancer, but access is a significant challenge.

"The next frontier for precision medicine is making sure that the right patient can actually get access," Carter said.

BCBSMA will notify members of their eligibility for the program, and participation is voluntary. The program is offered at no additional cost for members.

Karl Laskowski, M.D., vice president for clinical programs and strategy at BCBSMA, said in an interview that complex diseases like cancer are often scary and difficult for patients to navigate, and clinical trials offer access to therapies or care they "wouldn’t have otherwise at their disposal."

"It is not always clear what to do, and there’s a lot coming at you," he said.

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