Healthcare professionals (HCPs) would appear to be perfectly positioned for introducing the idea of trial participation to patients. They will generally have a relationship as a trusted advisor, and should be able to identify relevant candidates from their healthcare records.

However, HCPs have never actually been a particularly good source of patients for trials. One reason for this is the limited time available in a doctor’s appointment, plus not having the resources to keep on top of all the available trials.

Also, for those of us in the industry it’s easy to forget that clinical trials are for unproven treatments – so many doctors are wary of putting their patients at risk through taking part.

What I’ve found, though, is if you can successfully engage with HCPs in an informative and encouraging way, they can be a valuable source of patients for your trial.