We’ve all been there. A blocked nose. Sore throat. Your head pounding like a drum with every step you take and that overwhelming urge to dive under your bedcovers for the next few days. No-one enjoys the flu, and for some it can be an extremely serious illness. It’s why researchers work so hard every year to develop vaccines to keep us well and antiviral drugs to fight the infection and speed up your recovery.
Of course, all drug development hinges on enough people taking part in the necessary clinical trials. But this can be difficult for influenza (flu) studies. Many typically have a short patient recruitment window because they need participants who already have the illness. Other studies want people who are willing to accept the risk of catching the flu during the study. As you can imagine, this can seriously reduce the number of people willing to take part.
Seven ways to boost clinical trial patient recruitment and retention in flu vaccine and treatment studies
Place patient convenience at the heart of protocol design
When developing any clinical trial protocol, sponsors should consider patients’ needs and take action to prioritise convenience for clinical trial participants wherever possible. Home health visits, for example, mean patients with the flu can take part without leaving home, reducing their discomfort. That’s one barrier to entry out of the way.
Our Patient Support Centre can also help by guiding clinical trial patients through each stage of the study, from prescreening to endpoint. With years of clinical research expertise behind each member of the team, they can directly help patients with any trial-related issue, or other concerns or questions. As trained Mental Health First Aiders, they also provide emotional support and act as a listening ear when patients just want to vent.
Putting patient convenience and comfort at the forefront of your protocol design can help set you apart from competitors. Always try to think about how you can make things easier for patients.
Use data to inform and drive enrolment campaigns
Aligning digital recruitment campaigns with flu surveillance data enables targeted outreach to geographic areas experiencing flu surges. This can quickly increase the cost-effectiveness of clinical trial patient recruitment campaigns. By understanding when and where flu hotspots appear, sites can better reach people at the peak of need, allowing for more timely enrolment.
As well as thinking geographically, consider other factors that may influence flu trends. The tradition of Freshers’ Week within UK universities, for example, can often run parallel with flu spikes. Strategise accordingly to ensure population groups are reached in the right way at the right time.
Employing a data-driven approach to recruitment campaigns is especially important for flu treatment trials where recruitment windows are typically short. Materials must also be prepared in advance so they are ready to distribute quickly, thereby mitigating the challenge of those tight enrolment deadlines.
Actively seek to reduce the burden on sites
Research sites are often time- and resource-limited. As a company, we regularly hear how staff can find it difficult to balance their commitments due to shifting priorities and lack of time. For efficient patient recruitment in flu studies – or any study for that matter – sponsors should look to de-burden sites as much as possible.
Solutions that can streamline trial logistics, like centralised portals, allow for rapid access to information and efficient site management. Providing site staff with training that is both brief and focused on essentials can further enhance this process.
Our 1:1 In-country Recruitment Coaching and Site Support can bolster this approach. With clinical trial patient recruitment experts based in more than 70 countries, we are ideally placed to work with sites to understand their challenges and work with them to create site-specific enrolment strategies and optimise their processes.
Equally, our Patient Support Centre helps reduce the burden on sites by taking on the responsibility of patient engagement from the referral prescreening stage through to the end of a study.
Patient education to overcome barriers in vaccine trials
Patient education is crucial in flu vaccine studies, where the need for proactive participation must be communicated clearly.
Detailed educational materials, available in different formats, should explain the trial’s purpose, the safety of the vaccine, and how participation contributes to broader public health. Tailoring this content to varying levels of health literacy will ensure all patients can make informed decisions, regardless of their prior familiarity with clinical research.
For one Phase IIIa clinical trial investigating Type 2 diabetes in children, we increased prescreening rates by 181% and achieved a 20% uplift in patient recruitment rates through increased education. We worked with sites to develop information in a way that would best resonate with children and teenagers and approach schools and school nurses to disseminate it – a strategy that proved more effective than advertising in hospitals.
More widely, consider how to engage with and educate people early. Our Innovative Trials Academy aims to raise public awareness of clinical research globally to ensure people understand what it is, what it involves, and why it’s important. We want to create a generation of people who trust clinical research, which will make them more likely to participate in the future. When it comes to flu studies, this increased health literacy should make it easier to find the right people.
Create localised and accessible patient materials
To ensure inclusivity and clarity, and promote informed decision-making and consent, patient materials should be tailored to local languages, cultural preferences, and literacy levels.
Effective localisation means not only translating materials but also understanding regional language nuances. By taking this approach, comprehension is increased and patient engagement is enhanced. Use translators and cultural consultants to optimise your materials. This will make it easier for diverse patients to access and understand trial information, thereby building trust.
At Innovative Trials, we always ensure our site and patient educational materials are created in the most accessible way for the patient populations being targeted. Read how we accelerated clinical trial patient recruitment for a Phase III study into paediatric moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, which included creating a wide range of age-appropriate and inclusive educational materials.
Leverage technology to enhance engagement
Technology can help streamline recruitment and retention efforts, removing friction points for patients. Utilising QR codes on recruitment materials, for example, especially in high-traffic areas like pharmacies or doctor’s offices, offers quick access to study information. Educational videos that clarify the purpose of the study, eligibility criteria, and what participants can expect to provide accessible information and can help address questions before enrolment, fostering confidence in the study process.
However, it is imperative to consider the intended audience, especially if you want to attract and enrol a diverse group of patients. Technology can make it easier to share information in a convenient and bitesize way, but some people may still prefer written information. Also, bear in mind that not everyone has access to the internet or equipment like computers, iPads or smartphones.
Here at Innovative Trials, we work closely with our clients to develop bespoke clinical trial patient recruitment materials which resonate with the populations you want to target.
Patient-centric planning and implementing a rapid response
A patient-centric approach, with proactive and two-way engagement, and a rapid response to enquiries, is essential in retaining clinical trial patients. This requires clear communication, empathetic interaction, and minimal wait times.
Our Patient Support Centre can offer the rapid engagement that many sites struggle to deliver. Not only that, but with human team members at its core, patients are guaranteed to be listened to and treated with respect and empathy at all times.
This type of support eases the workload on research staff, allowing them to concentrate on other aspects of the trial and patient care, and delivers the timely and empathetic responses patients need and increasingly expect.
Innovative Trials is committed to supporting sites and sponsors to streamline site operations, accelerate clinical trial patient recruitment and enhance patient engagement.