Can web 2.0 reboot clinical trials?

Abstract

Dozens of companies are trying to leverage social networking and other software tools to accelerate trials and reduce their cost.

Exploring the Potential of Web 2.0 to Address Health Disparities

“…Another way in which Web 2.0 tools and applications could enhance disparities research is by providing additional modalities to identify and recruit potential study participants (Allison, 2009), as well as facilitate ongoing participation and feedback (Wright et al, 2009). Identifying new networks of underserved and underrepresented populations and developing partnerships with these networks will be an important ongoing effort.…”

Social Media and Clinical Trials Recruitment: Potential Benefits and Challenges

“…Dozens of pharmaceutical companies are using social media to accelerate their recruitment strategies as most delays in conducting trials stem from recruitment [2]. Clinical trials in oncology also fail to meet their enrollment targets and some never enroll any patients.…”

“…Some drug companies are carefully monitoring patient activities online and are gauging whether or not they will participate in such an open environment [14]. In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act stipulates, for example, that patient information must be ''de-identified'' before it is transmitted online [2]. However, how many patients truly understand the public nature of these Web sites?…”

“…Now electronic patients, or e-patients as they are commonly called, are ''actively engaged members of healthrelated social media networks who rely on social media for their health information'' [12]. Online patient communities such as MediGuard and ClinicalResearch (for a list of e-patient communities, see Appendix B) are two excellent examples of social tools that promote the awareness of clinical trials and crowd-sourced information exchanges [2].…”

How pharmacy's adoption of social media can enhance patient outcomes

“…56 The broader application of social media in clinical trials has also been successful in enhancing patient recruitment and retention across a number of therapy areas. 57 The rapid expansion of health-related social networks has resulted in the growth of crowd-sourced health research studies, including those organized by participants, 58 with research from websites such as Patients like me 59 being published in a range of peer-reviewed journals.…”