Digital Recruitment for Clinical Trials: 5 Common Misconceptions
Even as online advertising has become more and more popular, some clinical trial sponsors and research sites remain hesitant to completely invest in it. In a small survey of research sites we conducted (n=55), just 27% used digital patient recruitment, and of them, only 9% cited it as their most successful channel. Misconceptions remain about digital recruitment, and while it is true that online channels can be time consuming and expensive, they can also be one of the most effective ways to specifically target the patients you need for your trial. If you're on the fence about using digital recruitment, or enlisting the support of a recruitment company that specializes in it, consider these misconceptions and the realities behind them. You might be inspired to give digital more of a chance.
1. Misconception: Patients who come through digital sources are less engaged.
Reality: In surveys, patients report that they would prefer to hear about clinical trial opportunities from their doctors. Unfortunately, many doctors don't have the time or resources to discuss these options with patients. Digital sources give patients the opportunity to connect with clinical trials they may qualify for on their own, then talk with their doctor about their options. If you're considering working with a patient recruitment company, ask where their patients come from to better understand how informed about and interested in clinical research they may already be.
2. Misconception: It's too expensive to use digital recruitment for clinical trials.
Reality: Any recruitment method can be expensive if you don't get the results that you're looking for. The same goes for digital recruitment: If the patient leads you receive don't randomize into your trial, you may have to deal with wasted spend. That's why it's important to get targeting right, and work with either experienced marketers or a recruitment company that specializes in digital ads. For example, Google search ads can be particularly pricy if left unattended, as users who search for unrelated terms can end up clicking on your ads if they weren't set up to only show for the right users. But digital recruitment can also be quite affordable if the recruitment company you work with has a lot of experience in the space and with your particular condition area so knows how to get the targeting right.
3. Misconception: It's difficult to create engaging ads that pass IRB approval.
Reality: FDA guidelines and individual IRB requirements can be restrictive. But because these guidelines are in place to protect patients, these restrictions can ultimately help improve your outreach materials. For example, advertisers may take the time to thoroughly research the benefits of taking part in the trial beyond receiving compensation or free treatment. It's also important that patients understand what they're getting into when they start the decision-making process. Even if an ad is a little less flashy, accurate information can help attract patients who are more likely to be eligible for your trial.
4. Misconception: Facebook is really the only way to find patients online.
Reality: As of this writing, Facebook is the most powerful social network in the world, with advertisers spending billions on the platform each quarter. While it hasn't happened yet, privacy concerns and other controversy may one day drive advertisers to a different option. Talk with your recruitment company about methods they use in addition to Facebook to connect with patients. While Facebook may be the best option now in many cases, it's important that recruitment agencies have a range of tools at their disposal for reaching patients, including search ads, emails, and other targeting options.
Another solution is to meet patients where they are. For example, Antidote works with 270+ partners to embed a clinical trial search tool on health nonprofit and publisher websites, so we can connect researchers with patients who have already expressed interest in taking part. Other recruitment companies may also use patient databases or have relationships with medical practices to connect with patients via email.
5. Misconception: Digital recruitment is too time consuming.
Reality: It's true that digital recruitment requires plenty of maintenance after your initial campaign launches. Though it is time consuming, this is also what makes digital ads more effective. You can quickly see which ads are performing better than others and make adjustments to your targeting. It's also important to continue making updates to your ads as your campaign progresses. While one ad may receive more clicks, for example, another may ultimately result in higher enrollment into your trial. That means with digital advertising, recruiters have more real-time insight into how their efforts are performing.
Digital can also take less time to launch. While with a mailing campaign, you may need to take time to print out flyers and mail informational packets. The automated nature of digital means that it can take less time to launch a campaign than other methods.
Learn more about how digital recruitment solutions can help your trial by downloading our case studies. You'll get a packet of five studies that outline how we reached our client's goals through expert digital approaches and our partner network.
