Coordinate With Sponsors, CROs to Set Realistic Recruitment Goals, Timelines

Most clinical trials ultimately meet their enrollment threshold, but getting there can exact a hefty toll in unplanned time and money, a new study concludes. To avoid such pitfalls, sites, sponsors and CROs need to better coordinate recruitment timelines and expectations before trial contracts are set in stone, says Ken Getz, senior fellow at the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. TCSDD researchers analyzed recruitment and retention practices of 12 pharma and biotech companies in 151 Phase II–IV trials at 16,000 global sites. While nine out of 10 studies ultimately met their recruitment goal, doing so typically doubled the predicted trial duration.
Clinical Trials Advisor