Trial Nation publishes new guide aimed at improving recruitment of participants for clinical trials
Trial Nation is a Danish non-profit public-private member-based association, which creates a framework for enhancing the environment for clinical trials in Denmark.
As part of its initiatives, Trial Nation has developed a guide on Recruitment of Participants for Clinical Trials (the "Guide"). The Guide was developed with public and private life science stakeholders through a so-called "PACT project", funded by Innovation Fund Denmark.
The Guide is a direct response to Denmark’s prominence in decentralized clinical trials (DCTs), stemming from the close collaboration among Danish authorities, clinicians, companies, and patients, coupled with strong political backing and the proactive initiatives of the Danish Medicines Agency.
DCTs utilize digital tools and innovative processes to create patient-centered trial designs, improving accessibility and inclusion for participants.
The Guide provides a thorough overview of commonly employed recruitment methods for clinical trials, validated through collaboration with Danish healthcare authorities. In addition to traditional recruitment methods, the project highlights innovative approaches such as utilizing private recruitment platforms and forging collaborations with pharmacies to reach potential participants.
Among these methods is the effective use of social media for trial participant recruitment, where social media platforms are to be used to target advertisements to relevant patient groups through advanced algorithms. In this connection, the Guide notes that all clinical trial advertising on social media must comply with ethical standards and adhere to regional and local variations in guidelines for using social media in trial participant recruitment. Additionally, any recruitment plans, including those involving social media advertising, must be explicitly documented as part of the clinical trial application process.
Read the full guide for further insights (in Danish and English).