Clinical Trial Recruitment Practices: The Evolution Of Ethical Considerations

By Dr. Lindsay McNair, MD, MPH, MSB, Chief Medical Officer, WCG

Recruitment practices for clinical trials have evolved significantly over the last few decades. In addition to the advances in recruitment advertising through social media and other technologies, there are several practices that used to be considered acceptable, and even standard, which are no longer considered acceptable. At the same time, other practices, such as study sponsors providing direct staffing support for busy clinical sites, have become more popular. This white paper discusses the evolution of acceptable recruitment practices, and what IRB members typically look for when reviewing recruitment materials and practices.