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Subject Recruitment and Retention

UpdatedFebruary 15, 2023

Subject recruitment and retention are important components of a clinical trial. The success of a clinical trial depends on enrolling a sufficient number of eligible and willing subjects and maintaining their participation throughout the study.

Subject recruitment refers to the process of identifying and enrolling eligible subjects for a clinical trial. The following strategies are commonly used to recruit subjects:

  1. Advertising: This involves using various media outlets, such as local newspapers, posters, or websites, to reach potential subjects and inform them about the study.
  2. Referral from healthcare providers: Healthcare providers, such as doctors or nurses, can refer eligible patients to the study.
  3. Community outreach: This involves reaching out to community organizations, such as patient advocacy groups, to raise awareness about the study and to encourage subject participation.

Subject retention refers to the ability to keep subjects in the study and to maintain their engagement and compliance with the study protocol. The following strategies can help to improve subject retention:

  1. Clear and consistent communication: Keeping subjects informed about the study and providing them with clear and consistent information can help to build trust and to maintain their participation in the study.
  2. Supportive study personnel: Having supportive and responsive study personnel, such as study coordinators or clinical research associates, can help to address any concerns or issues that subjects may have and to maintain their engagement in the study.
  3. Financial incentives: Offering financial incentives, such as reimbursement for travel or study-related expenses, can help to maintain subject participation and to offset any costs associated with participating in the study.

Subject recruitment and retention are critical to the success of a clinical trial. It is important to have well-planned and well-executed recruitment and retention strategies in place to ensure that a sufficient number of eligible and willing subjects are enrolled and that they remain engaged and compliant with the study protocol throughout the study.

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