Patient Recruitment Challenges in Clinical Trials Today
Patient recruitment challenges in clinical trials have intensified during the pandemic, placing additional pressure on sponsors, CROs, and research sites. Drawing on more than eight years of hands-on experience in patient recruitment and work across multiple recruitment organizations, I’ve seen these challenges evolve—and, in many cases, worsen.
Today, more companies than ever offer “patient recruitment” solutions. The reason is simple: nearly nine out of ten clinical trials must extend their original timelines—often doubling them—to meet enrollment goals.
Increasing Complexity Creates Enrollment Barriers
Clinical trials have become significantly more complex. Many now include multiple endpoints required by the FDA, which can be difficult for patients to understand. As a result, patient education has become a major barrier to participation.
Additionally, site selection remains a persistent issue. Roughly 11% of activated sites never enroll a single patient, creating delays and inefficiencies across studies.
How Patients Are Reached and Profiled
Over the years, several effective methods have emerged to identify and profile patients for clinical trials, including:
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Internet-based recruitment platforms
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Electronic and manual chart reviews
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Community outreach and educational programs
Despite new tools and technology, the core challenges have remained the same since I entered the field: education, understanding the “why,” and explaining the “how.”
The Role of Digital Recruitment Platforms
Many online platforms now provide end-to-end solutions for patient recruitment. These services may include education, profiling, pre-screening, referrals, consent, and even randomization.
With over 81% of the U.S. population owning smartphones, patients have unprecedented access to health information. Recruitment platforms capitalize on this by engaging patients who are already searching for condition-specific education.
In one model I’ve worked with, patients received free educational materials—such as guides on diabetes or asthma. Once engaged, they were offered additional resources, coupons, free products, and clinical trial opportunities relevant to their condition and location.
This approach proved effective for screening and profiling qualified patients. However, one key insight stood out: if eligible patients were not contacted within 24 hours, their interest dropped sharply. Delays often led to disengagement before the first site visit or consent.
To address this, many companies introduced online consent tools, which significantly improved patient engagement and follow-through.
Oncology Trials: A Unique Recruitment Challenge
Oncology trials present some of the toughest patient recruitment challenges in clinical trials. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria—such as cancer type, stage, prior therapies, geographic location, and incidence rates—narrow the eligible patient pool.
To address this, one of our clients has developed an innovative algorithm designed specifically to educate consumers about oncology clinical trials. Their approach pre-screens patients based on condition, location, and eligibility criteria, improving both education and enrollment efficiency.
If you’d like to learn how this solution can support your oncology trials, we invite you to schedule a brief introductory call.
About GLSA
GlobalLifeSciencesAlliance.com (GLSA) connects biotechs, pharma, CROs, and clinical research sites with the right experts, advisors, and solutions to accelerate development and reduce risk. With a network of more than 200 trusted partners spanning pre-clinical and clinical research, GLSA offers flexible, cost-effective access to specialized expertise and services that support early-stage biotechs, mid-size pharma, and global pharmaceutical companies.
When you need trusted, global resources to accelerate your research, GLSA helps you scale smarter and move you forward with confidence.
To learn how GLSA can support your organization, connect with Denise McNerney or Chris Matheus for a conversation about your goals and challenges.