Why “Averages” Don’t Tell the Whole Story in Clinical Trials
- maryrburrell
- Aug 28
- 2 min read
When new trial results are announced, the headlines often sound hopeful: “this treatment helped most patients.” But averages only tell part of the truth. Behind every data point is a real person with their own genetics, lifestyle, and health conditions. That’s why two people in the same trial or even with the same diagnosis can have very different outcomes.
Medicine is not one-size-fits-all.
I know this firsthand. A few years ago, I was told there were no treatment options left for me, and I was placed on hospice. Then came an unexpected opportunity: an early feasibility clinical trial for the EVOQUE tricuspid valve.
Here’s what made me different:
I had fibrosing mediastinitis, a rare cause of severe tricuspid regurgitation.
My heart anatomy looked more like an avocado than the textbook model.
Because of this, I didn’t fit into the “average patient” box most trials are designed for.
If doctors had relied only on average outcomes, I might have been denied care. But I wasn’t average. I was me and that trial gave me a second chance at life. It has meant more time with family, the ability to keep advocating, and a future I thought I’d lost.
My experience highlights why personalized medicine, patient-centered research, and patient voices must be central to modern clinical practice:
More research — to capture the full spectrum of patient experiences.
Personalized medicine — care that sees the individual, not the statistic.
Patient voices — because statistics can’t explain what it feels like.
Every patient’s journey is unique. Averages can guide us but stories bring the science to life.
💬 How has your story reminded you that none of us are truly “average”?
Going through my clinical trial experience alone and even being denied twice because of my anatomy was isolating. That experience showed me how important it is for patients to have support, not just statistics.
Because of that, and through my advocacy work, I created HeartBridge Collective. There, I’ve seen the power of clinical trial patients and their caregivers sharing their experiences. It reminds me that while none of us are “average,” together we can build bridges of hope and strength.
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