Recruitment is a critical factor in the success or failure of clinical trials. The impact goes beyond the study to the health of our community and its citizens.
If we fail to meet clinical trial enrollment goals, it can:
Furthermore, enhancing the diversity of clinical trial participants is imperative to reflecting the many different communities in our area. The recruitment of underrepresented populations is key to ensuring that medical discoveries are appropriate and effective for everyone. Addressing barriers to participation can increase the diversity of participants and positively impact relationships between the academic and local community.
Consult with the Recruitment Team.
The Community Engagement Team (CET) at the CTSI is made up of a director, a community research facilitator and a community recruitment liaison. One of the CET’s main objectives is to increase the overall participation in clinical trials, with a special focus on the recruitment and retention of disparate populations.
Request a consultation through the online CTSA request portal.
After you have submitted your request through the online CTSI request portal, the Community Engagement Team typically responds to your request within 24-48 hours during the workweek.
The CET can help you conceptualize a recruitment approach best suited for your research. They can offer insight on recruitment tools and compensation models, connect you with community partners, provide coordinator training and facilitate a review of your study materials by community members.
The CET will request the study’s IRB approved protocol for review, as well as any IRB approved recruitment materials.
Once they review the study materials, they will ask for a meeting (by phone or in-person) to ask and answer questions, present strategies, and confirm that they understand what's needed from them, so you can best accomplish your goals.
For more information on the services provided by the CTSA Community Engagement Core, please visit http://www.buffalo.edu/ctsi/cores/community.html.