New research says the low-cost internet option could be used to rope in patients participating in trials. Analysts find that while only 20% of patients are currently recruited online, this is a method that will become increasingly important.  According to the report, “Online Patient Recruitment and Its Impact on Patient Relationship Management” internet surfers tend to be more interested in clinical trials than those viewing posters in the clinic.

Indeed, in an industry where time is money, pharmaceutical companies find that 90% of clinical trials are delayed for one reason or another. Research suggests that every extra day spent in clinical trial can cost these companies anything from $600,000 to $8 million.

In order to overcome delays, an increasing number of pharmaceutical companies are using the internet at all stages of the clinical trial process, particularly for patient recruitment and retention.

Traditionally patients are recruited through their doctor, who can advise and influence their decision thanks to the rapport they have built with the patient.  Recruitment is also achieved by companies through advertising media like television, radio, billboards or newspapers, but these prove expensive for companies and are limited in terms of the amount of information they can provide.

Online recruitment offers benefits on all counts- it is much more cost-effective and websites can provide more information to patients in order for them to make informed decisions. Uniquely, web-based tools offer a targeted and on-demand service.

Patient recruitment, which is the most time consuming step in any trial, is often pinpointed as the step that stalls the trial. Analysts believe that the negative image that clinical trials have in specific and the poor reputation that pharma companies have in general, contribute to the problem. Indeed, participants in clinical trials have often been labelled as ‘guinea pigs‘ in the media.

Clinical trials themselves have become more complex, both in terms of time requirement as well as in terms of protocol and paperwork recently. There has also been a vast increase in the number and size of clinical trials over the years which has contributed to a falling number of participants.