Wolf Creek XVIII Part 6: transforming clinical trial design in cardiac arrest research

The 50th Anniversary Wolf Creek XVIII Conference was hosted by the Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA on June 19-21, 2025. "Transforming Clinical Trial Design in Cardiac Arrest Research" was a topic of focused presentation and discussion. Participants included invited panelists and conference attendees made up of international academic and industry scientists as well as thought leaders in the field of cardiac arrest resuscitation. Panelists identified six key opportunities to transform clinical trial design: (1) Selecting the "right" patient and intervention, (2) Optimizing randomization, (3) Measuring relevant and unbiased outcomes, (4) Designing alternative approaches to "usual" randomize controlled trials (RCTs), (5) Maintaining public trust and engagement, and (6) Changing the approach to knowledge translation from research into clinical practice.