Tarantulas, Raccoons & $3.5B Drug Plants

From raccoons with thumbs to $3.5B drug factories, this Sticky Note goes from absurd to deadly serious pretty fast. In this episode, we dig into three big themes shaping the future of clinical research: 1. Lilly's $3.5B U.S. Manufacturing Bet New mega‑facility in Pennsylvania and three more planned in the U.S. How policy, tariffs, and incentives are pulling drug manufacturing back onshore What this means for historically industrial regions that lost manufacturing jobs 2. China's Clinical Trial Explosion China now accounts for ~30% of global clinical trials Trials reported as 50–60% cheaper and 60–70% faster than in the U.S. Regulatory shifts, trial infrastructure, and why the U.S. may get left behind on the "science" side while focusing on manufacturing 3. The Hard Reality of Community Oncology Research Why oncology trials in community settings are so hard to run Inclusion/exclusion challenges, timing of care, and tiny eligible populations Financial reality for IROs/site networks vs. the clear ethical need for community oncology trials Plus: Burnout in clinical research and why it's under‑recognized at the site level SOS Conference in San Diego, what to expect, and why the vibe matters A brief detour into exotic pets, tarantulas, and weaponized raccoons (you've been warned) If you care about where trials get run, who gets access, and how policy quietly reshapes our entire ecosystem, this one's for you.