What does study start up look like at clinical trial recruitment companies?

Getting a clinical trial started is often a collaborative effort between a number of different teams, from sponsors to sites to patient recruitment organizations. When it comes to clinical trial recruitment companies, what exactly does study start up look like? We spoke with Antidote’s Senior Manager of Strategic Client Services, Amrita Bhatt, about what it takes to kick off a new clinical trial recruitment project. 

Antidote: When a study or trial starts, what are the first things you do to kick off the process?

Amrita: We formally begin all projects with a client kickoff meeting and a few internal download meetings. The kickoff meeting ensures that Antidote and the client are aligned on the scope of the project, and establishes timelines for key milestone tasks leading up to the trial launch. The internal download meetings provide the rest of the Antidote team with the relevant information they need to complete their tasks for the project start up.

Antidote: Who do you work with internally and externally to ensure that the recruitment process starts efficiently? 

Amrita: Externally, I usually work with a dedicated project manager, and also the study team that is made up of the clinical experts on the trial and condition. Internally, almost every team at Antidote is part of a project startup. I work closely with Business Development to understand the scope of the project, Marketing to guide material development for IRB packets, Engineering to ensure our systems are built properly for the project, and Operations to execute all the tasks that are part of start up.

Antidote: What excites you most about recruiting for a new clinical trial or study?

Amrita: Working with a new project team is always exciting. Since every condition and trial has its own unique challenges, I’m able to learn something new on every project I’ve worked on. I particularly enjoy learning about the condition, how it impacts the patient population, and how these patients could benefit from the potential new treatment. 

Antidote: You’ve been doing this for a while now. What’s one thing you’ve learned that’s essential to the study start up process? 

Amrita: Clear communication and coordination early on are crucial – both internally and with the client. There are multiple moving parts and milestones at the beginning of a project, so having everyone aligned from the beginning is key. Antidote has many processes in place to ensure all project milestones are met according to schedule.

Looking for a clinical trial recruitment company? Learn more about how the Antidote team connects the right patients with trials so that your study can start up seamlessly.