Do you have any competing clinical trials? This question was common at site selection visits during my time as a clinical research coordinator. By competing, what the sponsor typically meant was a similar trial enrolling concurrently with theirs. It’s a logical question, but this question can obscure an important point about patient enrollment. Every clinical […]
The 6 Best Rebar Interactive Blog Posts of 2012
What a great year it has been! In 2012, far more so than 2011, I have noticed increasing industry openness to clinical trial innovation. This new industry sentiment is one that I find very exciting. However, (true) innovation is about more than sentiment or talk. Ultimately, innovation requires action. It’s about trying new things. It’s […]
60+ Resources to Kickstart Digital Patient Recruitment (UNC Workshop)
Hello, UNC clinical researchers! This blog post is a companion resource for the talk I did on November 9, 2012, which was titled “Digital Marketing for Patient Recruitment & Retention.” You can download the slides for the talk here [PDF]. In addition, I’ve curated a list of over 60 resources and links to help you […]
A Social Media Feasibility Model for Patient Recruitment
When used appropriately, social media has great potential for clinical trials. The difficulty for many clinical researchers, however, is determining the appropriate use, particularly for patient recruitment. A complex set of variables contribute to social media feasibility, which creates frustration and confusion for many. Regular readers of this blog know I’ve written quite a bit […]
Social Media for Patient Recruitment: 3 Major Options
To be on social media. Or not to be on social media. That is the patient recruitment question. Or at the least that’s the question many in clinical research are asking. And it’s not a bad question. But asking such a question does tend to obscure some of the nuances involved. Social media is not […]
(Re)training As a Clinical Research Coordinator
When I left my clinical research coordinator position, I thought I had completed my last CRF. Well, I was wrong. In an unexpected turn of events, I actually completed one last week. Let me explain why. Though I no longer work directly with patients, my perspective on clinical research is strongly rooted in my experience […]
Social Media for Patient Recruitment: Time for New Optimism?
In the last couple of months, I’ve become a lot more optimistic regarding the use of social media for patient recruitment. To be clear, significant challenges remain and clinical researchers need to be educated on those challenges. However, recently published data suggests we could be in the midst of a tipping point in how patients […]
A Social Media Question IRBs Must Ask
I don’t envy IRBs. In the absence of clear guidance on social media and patient recruitment, they are in a difficult spot. Despite the difficulty, the solution is not to hope social media goes away. It won’t. Internet users have developed a taste for dynamic interactive content, and they have no desire to revisit the […]
Is Pfizer’s Virtual Clinical Trial Model a Failure?
In a recent article in Outsourcing Pharma, Nick Taylor detailed a big setback to Pfizer’s virtual clinical trial. According to Miguel Orri, senior director of clinical sciences at Pfizer, “it didn’t recruit.” Orri added, “problems stemmed from a failure, possibly caused by the team’s regulatory focus, to appreciate what patients need.” Are we to conclude […]
One Detail Clinical Researchers Must Know About Social Media
I want to apologize to clinical research professionals who regularly read this blog. You are about to hear a message you’ve heard from me several times. But I think spreading this message is essential if the clinical research industry is to harness the potential of digital patient recruitment. I have not dedicated a full post […]
