Clinical trial recruitment strategies for successful patient enrollment
Though collecting accurate data, keeping precise records, and measuring results are all complex tasks involved with medical research, clinical trial recruitment and enrollment are often cited as the most challenging part of the process. Not only is having a large enough sample size essential for research integrity, but recruitment delays can also be extremely costly. By some estimates, delays in drug development can cost study sponsors roughly $37,000 a day.
While finding suitable patients to participate in a study can be a challenge, there are solutions worth exploring. Successfully engaging clinical trial recruitment tools, taking a patient-centric approach, and connecting with individuals in ways likely to resonate can all help boost enrollment numbers.
Successful clinical trial recruitment strategies
Address why patients are hesitant to participate in clinical trials
There are a myriad of reasons why patients may be hesitant to participate in clinical trials. Many individuals interested in study participation are exploring it as an option for the first time, so there are likely to be heightened concerns around safety, placebos, and the burden a patient must take on if they enroll. Additionally, the time commitment required is a frequent worry, especially if patients must travel to distant study sites or are required to complete an excessive number of check-ins throughout the trial.
For successful patient enrollment, addressing these issues directly can help alleviate concerns and encourage patients to continue the screening process. Including verbiage in outreach material about the ease of participation, travel reimbursement, and the time commitment required can be helpful, as can including information on the study page about the placebo protocol and the overall trial safety.
Employ community-based outreach methods
When researching how patients like to engage with clinical trials, one point that surfaces continually is patients’ desire to hear about clinical trials from familiar sources, whether through their physician, advocacy groups in their community, or condition-specific organizations they are connected with.
Considering this, employing community-based outreach methods can be an excellent way to connect with patients in their preferred ways. Working directly with healthcare providers, engaging with patient advocacy groups, or utilizing a clinical trial recruitment agency with strong nonprofit partnerships can all be strategic methods for reaching patients where they are.
Engage sites convenient for patients
When patients decide whether to participate in a study, one of their chief concerns is often the time commitment required. While a trial protocol will outline the number and duration of required visits, the travel time required is highly individualized — however, it is a crucial consideration for patients. Even for trials that provide travel reimbursement, the time spent getting to and from the study site can be excessive, especially for studies using sites in rural areas or recruiting patients unlikely to own a car.
One of the best ways to alleviate this potential roadblock is to engage sites conveniently located near the target patient population. Adding full study sites or allowing patients to get monitoring lab work at third-party clinics can reduce the burden placed on trial participants and be cost-effective for trials offering travel reimbursement.
Provide patient-centric study materials
Because of the required medical jargon and study details, clinical trial listings can be difficult for individuals outside the industry to understand. This, combined with the fact that around 90 million Americans have low health literacy, can present a challenge when creating materials related to clinical trial recruitment.
Whether writing general educational materials or creating study-specific outreach content, keep patient centricity in mind. Consider how patients talk about their condition, what verbiage they use for symptoms, and standard terms for medications that might be relevant. This way, patients will be presented with content that resonates clearly when conducting outreach.
If you’re interested in exploring more clinical trial recruitment strategies, we’re here to help. Contact us to learn more about Antidote’s expertise in reaching patients where they are.
