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Patient First
Patient perspectives: Oncology preferences from patients and caregivers on trial technology
This summary looks at DCT patient and caregiver preferences regarding eConsent, telehealth, wearables, and other digital technologies in the area of oncology. There are differences noted between age, gender, and specific types of cancers.
During the pandemic, there was a surge in telehealth visits in medical oncology. Some of the telehealth benefits include convenience, the immediacy of results, news processing, family comfort, and privacy during the receipt of bad news. Although patient preference is individual in nature, there are some common themes. Telehealth has also increased access to medical care and clinical trials (Granberg, et al 2021).
A randomized study for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy showed that those who do accept telehealth visits report a positive view of telehealth. Another study shows that 92% of patients who had telehealth visits were satisfied with the visit. A survey reported that 32% of thyroid cancer patients reported video-based healthcare. Another advantage of telehealth noted by patients is the convenience, especially for short visits with a long commute. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a large positive influence on video visits. These studies noted that only included patients who spoke English and accepted video visits (Granberg, et al 2021).
Where does patient recruitment end and patient engagement begin?
It’s widely understood that patient recruitment is one of the most critical and yet most challenging aspects to a successful clinical trial. In fact, many trials fail to reach recruitment goals, with far-ranging implications for investigators, sponsors, study participants, and the population affected by the disease or condition under study.
Informed Consent Forms (ICFs) for Clinical Trials: Write with plain language please
Informed consent is a critical element of any clinical trial, as it starts the process that leads to a patient's participation in a trial. An informed consent form (ICF) is written by sponsors and delivered to patients to provide them with all the information they need about the study to make an informed decision around their participation. Traditionally done with paper-and-pen, an effective ICF is clear, concise, and straightforward, while covering all of the required elements defined by regulatory bodies, such as Good Clinical Practice (GCP) as defined in ICH E6(R2). Unfortunately, many ICFs are not well-written, use overly scientific language, and are overly complex, which can confuse and potentially alienate a potential participant. This blog examines ways to improve this important communication process using clear language and the latest technology.