One of the best ways to ensure a successful clinical trial is patient retention. But the Veristat clinical trial design has to incorporate different factors to ensure that your patients are well taken care of and feel comfortable.
Clinical trial stakeholders have recognized the need for a patient-centric approach during trials. They’re advocating to have a seat at the table as they become the central focus on enterprise approaches, research, and drug development. This ensures that the clinical trial planning is centered around the patients. What practical ways can you improve your patients’ experience during oncology trials? Here are some pointers.
Take patients through the clinical trial journey early and often
Most patients do not consider the importance of the additional data collected from the procedures they undergo. They are focused on the possible benefits of participation. By taking the patients through the clinical trial journey, they can foresee what to expect through the trial journey. It also helps when you capture different insights during the treatment journey because it helps increase transparency.
View the patient experience holistically through the study
While setting up an oncology clinical trial, it is essential to take a holistic look at the procedures in the protocol. Ensure that the procedures are not overwhelming to the patients. For example, during the pharmacokinetic (PK) draws, collected at intervals of 2,3,4,8 and 12 hours after infusion. For most patients, the blood draw is not a big deal, but with such a schedule, you will need to come up with activities for the patient to participate in while they wait.
Use technology to help reduce the patient’s burden
Due to the pandemic, clinical trials have had to re-evaluate how they design patient-centric clinical trials. Many sponsors are looking for ways to involve patients remotely with few visits. Technology has made it easy to run clinical trials remotely and limit in-person visits. The use of virtual visits between a clinical investigator and site staff has reduced the burden of travel for most patients. It allows for a flexible visit schedule since they can arrange a meeting in the evening after they are done with work. Technology has also reduced the number of patients lost due to travel barriers, thus increasing the chances of trial success.
Solicit patients input on your study protocol
Some patients even approach clinical trials as a way of helping themselves but also a way they can help others later on. Other patients hope that the treatment works for them and agree to almost anything to get a chance to be involved in the trial. It is essential not to take advantage of their desperation. Therefore, sponsors need to seek patient feedback about the protocol, even if they think you have a patient-centric study. You will determine whether your research is designed to gather realistically to make sense to the patients.
Improving the patient experience during an oncology trial will help you retain more patients through the study. Be sure to seek the patients’ feedback to see if there are ways you can help improve their experience.
