Subject participation in clinical trials is paramount

Obtaining useful and meaningful data is one of the goals of any clinical trial. However, in order to attain the necessary data, subject participation in clinical trials is paramount as subjects are the heart and soul of a clinical trial. One of the keys to a successful clinical trial, no matter the stage or trial type, whether it is a drug or device study, is meeting subject enrollment requirements. Understanding how the general public views clinical trials and how clinical research professionals might shape that opinion, is vital.

In 2015, The Center of Information and Study on Clinical Participation released a comprehensive series of reports on subject participation in clinical trials.¹ Data was gathered from 12,000 participants world-wide that completed a series of surveys. Of those surveyed, 80% reported that they were willing to participate in a clinical study and 33% reported that the number one reason for participating was to advance medicine; followed by 29% to help improve the lives of others. The overall experience of those who participate in a clinical trial is very positive; over 75% of respondents reported that their clinical trial experience was not very stressful, 95% would recommend participating in a clinical trial to family or friends, and participants of past clinical trials are more willing to participate in future trials compared to those surveyed who had never participated in a clinical trial. Despite this promising data, more than 80% of clinical trials do not meet enrollment deadlines and over half of clinical trials never get published.^2,3

In light of these statistics, it is crucial to remember that successfully engaging the public and providing the public with the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding clinical trial participation can make or break a clinical trial.

With the potential for so many other barriers to recruitment in clinical trials as discussed in this previous blog (4 Barriers to Recruitment in Clinical Trials), what strategies do you use to inform and engage potential participants in clinical trials? How do you ensure participants expectations are being met throughout the clinical trial experience?

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