Patient recruitment solutions providers – or vendors – are brought in to increase the number of participants engaged with a trial. They usually focus on the elements of finding and engaging with potential trial volunteers, then implementing some form of pre-screening process, before handing those people over to the research site for full screening and consenting.

One of the main methods that solutions providers use for recruiting patients is through advertising – both digital, such as through social media, and traditional, such as through newspapers and radio.

As well as this, the firms may utilize additional outreach strategies – for example, to healthcare professionals, community organizations, and patient groups.

Research sites have traditionally been skeptical of central advertising campaigns from patient recruitment firms that may be forced on them by the sponsor or CRO. But the good solutions providers are always a valuable addition to any trial.