Despite the massive interest in oncology drug development, there is a low turnout in the number of patients that enroll for the trials. For this reason, the Veristat oncology trial design faces considerable challenges because most cancer patients refuse to take drugs they know little about. This leads to the question, what strategies can CROs implement to enroll more patients and keep them all through the clinical trials? Here is a look at some essential strategies for an oncology trial design that focuses on the patients.

Build relationships with your patients

One of the best ways to implement effective oncology clinical trial design is to reach out to doctors who have already established relationships with their patients. Make a brief presentation to the doctors and the staff who care for the patients. Provide the doctors with all the information about the trial. This will ensure that they have all the information needed while relaying the trial information to the patients. Also, ensure that you create a clear policy on communication to keep the physicians informed about their patients’ progress. Ensure that you explain all the benefits and the risk of participation to inform their patients fully. Oncology patients trust the opinion of their physicians more, hence why they are in a better position to convince them to join the trials.

Identifying patients and assessing eligibility

Make sure that all the patients are screened and considered for eligibility. The best way to do this is to send the diagnosis reports to research nurses to determine whether they are eligible for the trial. The research nurse then communicates with the physicians to inform the trial opportunities. After that, the CRO should develop procedures to ensure that the doctors approach the eligible patients.

Approach eligible patients

Once you identify a cancer patient, you can provide the patient with CCT educational material to enhance their understanding of the clinical trials. After that, welcome the patient to the trial with a signed letter by the program leader and their oncologists. The patients should only participate in the clinical trial if their physician has given the go-ahead.

Retain the patients in the study

After enrolling the patients, you have to ensure that you retain them during the study for the trial’s success. The best way to do this is to ensure that all the staff members are aware of the importance of the trials and hold all the patients in high regard while at the clinic. Make sure you engage patients through regular phone contact with patients during in-person visits to monitor their progress. Give the patient a treatment calendar to plan for their visits. To retain the patients, offer some perks such as free parking when they visit your clinic. Encourage their family members to accompany them during their visits to make them feel more comfortable during the treatment.

Enrolling and retaining oncology patients for a clinical trial can be a challenging task. However, armed with the right strategies, you can enroll and keep the patients through the trial as long as they trust you.