The patient recruitment process in a global study is a complex and difficult process for any sponsor or CRO.

A successful global patient recruitment study requires a complex infrastructure, sophisticated analytics, and individualized site support across multiple languages. This may be unfamiliar ground for many sponsors and CROs.

Here are seven enrollment strategies to help you enroll patients in any country for a robust, diverse, and inclusive patient population.

1. Translations of Ad Copy & Materials

This one may be obvious. However, ensuring prospective patients can read and engage with ad copy and materials is crucial. As a result, sponsors and researchers should be ready to have ad copy and materials translated to the local language.

This is especially important if there are multiple languages spoken in a country. In Canada, for example, French is the mother tongue of 20% of the population. Specifically, in certain parts of Canada, French is the dominant language spoken while in other parts English is the primary language spoken.

2. Adjust Clinical Trial Recruitment Landing Pages Per Region

To get the most from a clinical trial marketing campaign, sponsors and researchers should use landing pages and websites tweaked for each region, country, or language. If a prospect clicks on an ad tailored to their region or country, the website and landing page should feel coherent and unified.

Additionally, translation is a delicate art that is about far more than changing words. Mistranslations or misunderstandings of certain concepts can jeopardize a trial’s results, so sponsors designing patient recruitment strategies should look out for idiomatic expressions or concepts that might cause problems.

3. Use Specific Image Choices

Depending on an area’s region or ethnic makeup, using culturally appropriate imagery can help earn trust and connect with the target audience. Even in areas with smaller minority populations, it’s essential to aim for some level of representation to improve patient recruitment in clinical trials. As trials strive to achieve wider demographic makeups, finding ways to promote inclusivity improves recruitment diversity.

4. Use Different Pre-Screener Versions

Because different populations have different attitudes towards clinical trials, sponsors should have an adaptive approach to pre-screeners. Cultural context is key. Openness and flexibility are required to meet the local population on grounds where they are comfortable.

Discussing medical circumstances should always be done with a degree of sensitivity; however, specific topics are taboo in some regions, which creates an extra barrier. Consult with local sites to create culturally appropriate strategies.

5. Different Geographic Targeting

When deciding upon the geographic targeting of potential patients, several local considerations will need to be made. Access to and from specific sites will depend on local transport or access to a vehicle.

While this concept will be familiar to those who perform domestic trials, local circumstances should be considered when setting the width of geographic targeting.

6. Choose the Appropriate Platforms for Digital Marketing in Clinical Trial Recruitment

Depending on the geographic location or country, there will be slightly different social media and search engine preferences. More specifically, in South Korea the number one search engine is not Google – it’s Naver. Choosing the appropriate platform is essential to reaching the right patients.

7. Beware of Local Privacy and Marketing Laws

Understanding local privacy and marketing laws is an essential aspect of global patient recruitment. While Google ads are an effective way to reach potential patients, Google does not allow the promotion of clinical trial recruitment in many countries.

To overcome these restrictions, sponsors should consider a blend of methods that account for local regulations. This can mean using more traditional outreach methods like local organizations or patient advocacy groups or using social media sites that facilitate more contemporary digital marketing strategies for clinical trial recruitment. With experience in 25+ countries across the globe, sophisticated analysis, and individualized site support, Splash Clinical are global patient recruitment experts who are well-positioned to help you achieve your goals of recruiting an inclusive patient population. Contact us to discuss assistance with global patient recruitment.