Science That Sells: Using Clinical Trials to Build Consumer Trust in Nutraceuticals
Author: Paige Oliver, Director of Product at People Science
What if your science could sell itself, not through marketing spin, but through real evidence your consumers can see and trust?
That’s the question that drives me every day. I’m Paige Oliver from People Science, and I believe that credible, accessible research has the power to transform not just how consumers view your products, but how they connect with your brand.
The Evidence Chasm
There’s an “evidence chasm” in our industry, a widening gap between research and the real people it’s meant to serve.
Once upon a time, community healers understood their neighbors’ needs and shared knowledge directly. Today, clinical research has become centralized, slow, expensive, and often unrepresentative of the diversity of real-world consumers.
As a result, many nutraceutical brands rely on generic ingredient studies instead of product-specific ones. That might check a regulatory box, but it doesn’t inspire consumer confidence.
So I often ask brands:
Decentralized Clinical Trials: Bridging the Gap
That’s where Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs) come in.
Using digital tools, wearables, and at-home sampling kits, we can bring research directly to participants, meeting them where they live and use your products.
Here’s what this approach unlocks:
Real-world data gathered from daily life.
Greater diversity and higher retention across study populations.
Faster, more affordable execution without sacrificing rigor.
Regulatory-ready designs when conducted with proper controls.
By involving people directly and transparently, decentralized studies do more than collect data, they build trust. Participants feel connected to the science, and brands gain evidence that reflects true consumer experience.
Building Evidence, Step by Step
At People Science, we help brands develop evidence through a step-wise strategy that derisks the process while strengthening credibility.
Exploratory Studies
Low-cost, open-label studies help refine formulations, gauge perception, and identify promising outcomes early.
“Are you seeing early changes that point you to what really matters in your RCTs?
Claims Substantiation
Decentralized randomized controlled trials (RCTs) validate your claims with rigor, speed, and inclusivity.
“How can we design your gold-standard RCT now that you’ve gathered valuable real-world data upfront?”
Post-Market Consumer Evidence
Ongoing trackers and perception studies continue the story, showing your commitment to science even after launch.
“How can your brand keep proving its value and engaging consumers through real-world feedback?”
This step-wise process not only reduces risk and cost, it creates a continuous cycle of learning, validation, and improvement.
Meet Chloe: The Platform Powering It All
To make this vision scalable, we built Chloe, the Consumer Health Learning and Organizing Ecosystem.
Chloe supports every step of research by:
Streamlining study setup and management.
Automating participant recruitment, consent, and compliance.
Providing real-time data dashboards for researchers.
Empowering consumers to view their own results.
It’s a true bridge between researchers and consumers, making decentralized clinical trials practical, transparent, and impactful for everyone involved.
The Future of Consumer Research
We’re just beginning to see what’s possible. A few questions I’m exploring with our partners include:
How can AI and machine learning make consumer-centric studies even more efficient?
Beyond efficacy, which outcomes matter most, tolerability, speed of effect, or quality of experience?
How can brands prepare for a market that increasingly demands science-backed transparency?
At People Science, we believe the future belongs to brands that make science a living, breathing part of their relationship with consumers.
Because when your science is open, accessible, and ongoing, it doesn’t just inform. It sells.
Want to learn more?
If you’re curious about how decentralized clinical research can help your brand build consumer trust and differentiation, let’s connect.
Contact the People Science team to explore how Chloe and our research approach can bring your science, and your story, to life.
