Ask is passionate about clinical research: “We are at a point where we have hopefully seen the bottom”
Clinical research is an anchor of the Danish healthcare system and the foundation for new treatments. Ask Aabenhus, who is a pharmacist by training, works to improve the conditions for clinical research in Denmark. According to Ask, Denmark has many strengths, but the country is also facing a number of challenges.
New and improved treatment options, higher quality healthcare and a strong Danish Life Science industry.
The benefits of clinical research seem almost endless if you ask Ask Aabenhus.
A trained pharmacist with 16 years of industry experience, Ask now works for Trial Nation, an organisation dedicated to securing Denmark’s position as one of the world’s leading nations in clinical research.
Trial Nation’s members include ministries, regional authorities, patient organisations and companies. This broad membership means that the organisation considers all stakeholders when working to create the best possible conditions for clinical trials in Denmark.
Ask serves as Head of Facilitation and Relations at Trial Nation. In simple terms, his role is to bring clinical departments and companies together and, perhaps most importantly, foster greater understanding between them.
“I often find that the different parties point to the same issue, but have very different views on what the actual problem is,” says Ask.
One classic challenge in clinical trials is start-up timelines. Both companies and clinical departments are eager to get trials up and running as quickly as possible.
“Companies will typically say that it takes far too long to get started and that departments are not ready when they should be. Clinical departments often turn the argument around and say that companies are not providing what they need to begin the process,” says Ask and continues:
“There are always two sides to a story, and one of the most interesting aspects of my job is trying to bridge that gap and help the two sides understand each other better.”
Connecting companies and clinical departments
Ask knows both sides of the table extremely well.
During his time in industry, he worked with clinical trials in various roles and understands the mechanisms driving decision-making within companies.
At the same time, he has worked closely with clinical departments since joining Trial Nation nearly ten years ago and therefore has a deep understanding of their priorities and challenges.
Fundamentally, the work of Ask and the rest of Trial Nation is about attracting more clinical research to Denmark.
They act as facilitators, connecting companies, clinical departments and patients. In addition, they work to improve the framework conditions for clinical research.
One example is the standard clinical trial contract developed by Trial Nation’s legal network.
“If you use the standard contract, the legal approval process is essentially already in place. If you submit your own contract, approval can take months. With Trial Nation’s standard contract, the process is much faster,” says Ask.
Three major benefits
Let us return to why it is so important to have clinical research in Denmark in the first place.
The first and perhaps most obvious reason is that clinical trials drive the development of new treatments.
Secondly, there is a clear link between clinical research and skills development, Ask explains. Departments involved in clinical trials simply become better at what they do.
“Clinical trials are a very important part of the entire ecosystem surrounding the Life Science industry.”
“Clinical trials are a very important part of the entire ecosystem surrounding the Life Science industry.”
“So this is a crucial factor for the Danish healthcare system as a whole and for individual healthcare professionals. Clinical trials help raise the overall quality of healthcare, and ultimately all patients benefit from that,” says Ask.
The third benefit is that clinical research also has a positive impact on the Danish Life Science industry and, consequently, on society and the economy more broadly.
“It is incredibly important because it creates jobs and economic value,” says Ask and continues:
“I do not think we would have seen the large pharmaceutical companies we have in Denmark today if we had not had clinical research here. Clinical trials are a very important part of the entire Life Science ecosystem.”
The number of trials is declining
For many years, Denmark has been among the leading countries in the world when it comes to clinical trials.
Denmark has the highest number of clinical trials per capita in Europe. However, this is not a reason to become complacent.
We have also seen a decline in the number of trials conducted in Denmark. According to an analysis by the Danish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Lif) and Danish Bio, the number of clinical trials fell significantly in 2024.
Specifically, Lif member companies conducted 450 trials in 2023, compared with 342 in 2024. This represents a decline of 24%.
“Europe’s share of clinical trials has fallen to roughly half of what it was around ten years ago.”
According to Ask Aabenhus, developments in Denmark should be viewed in the context of broader European trends.
“Europe is losing market share when it comes to its relative share of clinical trials. The United States and especially Asia are gaining ground,” says Ask.
“Europe’s share of clinical trials has fallen to roughly half of what it was around ten years ago. In absolute numbers, the decline is not quite as dramatic because the total number of clinical trials worldwide has increased. However, we have also seen an absolute decline in Europe.”
Positive developments on the horizon
There are several reasons why Europe has started to fall behind, but one of them has been the European approval system during the implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR).
Obtaining approval for clinical trials has taken longer than expected, and time is an extremely important factor when companies decide where to place their studies.
“There is now a growing awareness of the challenges surrounding European legislation, but looking at the bigger picture, it still takes too long to obtain approval,” says Ask.
“At the moment, there is an initiative called Fast-EU, which Denmark is participating in, but it only covers two trials per month. Generally speaking, the best-case scenario is approval within 60 days, while the worst-case scenario is 106 days. By comparison, the best-case scenario in the United States is 30 days.”
“It still takes far too long to obtain approval.”
One encouraging development is the Danish Medicines Agency’s Expedited Assessment scheme.
Since August 2025, sponsors have been able to have Phase I clinical trials and integrated Phase I–II trials evaluated within 14 days in the best-case scenario.
“That is a really positive development because it means we are suddenly faster than the US authorities,” says Ask.
The right selling points are in place. Although there are positive signs, Denmark still faces a significant task when it comes to persuading companies to choose the country for clinical trials.
“Speed is one of the key factors we need to emphasise, and the work of the Danish authorities is crucial if we want to remain among the fastest and best countries in Europe and globally.”
However, speed is not the only selling point.
“We have an open-door policy that you simply do not find elsewhere. If you speak to someone from the United States, they struggle to understand that you can just call the Danish Medicines Agency and receive an answer. From their perspective, that is almost unimaginable,” he says and continues:
“That level of dialogue is definitely an advantage.”
Another important selling point is Denmark’s high-quality health data. The challenge, however, is that gaining access to these data for research projects can sometimes be difficult.
“In reality, you are allowed to do quite a lot in Denmark if you apply for it. But obtaining the necessary approvals can take a long time, and if access cannot be granted within a meaningful timeframe, then it loses its value.
Light on the horizon
Looking ahead, Ask Aabenhus believes it is important not to focus on a single framework condition in isolation.
The entire package of framework conditions needs to be world-class. Speed, approvals, data access and many other factors must work together, and Denmark needs to stay alert and competitive.
“I think we are at a point where we have hopefully seen the bottom – and we have to accept that.”
“I see many initiatives, both nationally and across Europe, moving in the right direction. But I do worry about whether progress is happening quickly enough and whether we truly understand the pace at which the world is changing,” says Ask.
Despite the challenges, Ask remains optimistic about the future of clinical research in Denmark.
At the same time, he emphasises that considerable work still lies ahead.
“I think we are at a point where we have hopefully seen the bottom – and we have to accept that,” says Ask and continues:
“Europe has unfortunately fallen somewhat out of favour with some companies, which makes things more difficult right now. Our task is to demonstrate what we can offer and why it is still attractive to conduct clinical trials in Denmark – and in Europe as a whole.”