Clinical trial success relies on effective patient recruitment – International Clinical Trials Day 2022
International Clinical Trial Day 2022 will be co-hosted by ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network) and its German scientific partner KKS-Netzwerk (the Network of Coordinating Centres for Clinical Trials) on May 17th 2022, and this years’ theme is Recruitment in Clinical Trials. ICTD commemorates the start of the landmark clinical trial, led by James Lind on sailors with scurvy, 20 May 1747. Having laid the foundation for modern clinical research, ECRIN salutes this initiative by addressing a new topic in clinical research every year on or around this date.
ICTD was launched in 2005 by ECRIN, in line with its mission to support multinational clinical research in Europe. ICTD brings together health policy actors, health authorities, clinical researchers, health professionals, patients and citizens from Europe, and beyond to discuss issues related to multinational clinical trials.
ICTD this year will be a hybrid event, direct from Berlin, that will run from 10:00 to 17:00 CEST and is free and open to all. Participants can join the speakers at the Lagenbeck-Virchow-Haus in Berlin or follow the events online.
“Hosting a hybrid International Clinical Trials Day 2022 is very important as we look to meet with colleagues new and old in person after 2 years of pandemic all while sharing the wealth of information from our speakers with anyone in our community who cannot make the trip via a live stream.”
- Jacques Demotes, Director General, ECRIN
“At ICTD 2022 we will unite different stakeholders from clinical research to discuss solutions for overcoming barriers for patients to participate in clinical trials in particular in situations in which no approved therapy is available”.
- Heiko von der Leyen, German representative of the ECRIN Network Committee
Recruitment in clinical trials
Recruitment in clinical trials is one of the major obstacles that leads trials to end prematurely. It has been shown that less than one third of research centres reach their recruitment objectives and that half of trials must be prolonged for this reason. The integrity of the study relies on its capacity to identify and recruit patients with a specific profile in the dedicated clinical trial sites. Difficulties on recruitment can stem from patients, investigators and other stakeholders in the field of clinical research. These difficulties and solutions to address them will be highlighted by the presentations throughout ICTD 2022.
Agenda
The day will kick off with introductions from the Director of ECRIN, Jacques Demotes and the German representative of the ECRIN Network Committee, Heiko von der Leyen. Matthias Briel of the University Hospital Basel & McMaster University will then give the keynote lecture - Recruitment in Clinical Trials: The ultimate challenge. This will be followed by three separate perspectives on the issue: European, patient and industry.
The afternoon will open with three examples of best practices in relation to clinical trial recruitment. To conclude the day there will be a panel session to address new perspectives for patient recruitment.
