Exco InTouch, the provider of interactive patient communication solutions today announced the results of a successful pre-conference workshop at the Patient Recruitment and Retention conference in Amsterdam, October 13th – 15th 2008. The event, run in partnership with the patient recruitment agency MMG, focused on the use of proven methods and exploration of new technology to improve patient recruitment, retention and compliance within clinical research.

The workshop offered an interesting insight into the way that patient recruitment initiatives are viewed amongst the sponsor community. Post-event survey results provide evidence that recruitment and retention is as strategically important now as it has ever been:

• Only 12% of delegates had a specific patient recruitment role within their sponsor organisation.
• However, over 75% of participants have planned and subsequently executed specific recruitment and retention initiatives as part of their initial protocol design management.
• Just over 50% of attendees had used an outside agency or technology vendor to assist them in their tactical planning to improve recruitment and retention.
• Finally, over 90% of sponsor personnel at the workshop stated that they were actively looking for new, creative ways to help enhance communication with patients in order to reduce lost to follow up and early withdrawal rates.

Participants recognized that lost to follow up rates, which can be as high as 40%, are proving to be unacceptable in terms of the resulting study delays and increased patient recruitment costs. In order to improve efficiency companies are now looking to take proactive steps particularly in those therapy areas with notoriously high retention and compliance rates.

Recruitment strategies currently in use or under consideration include direct-to-patient or direct-to-caregiver materials, advertising and physician referral materials.

Additionally, sponsors were excited by the prospect of harnessing innovative technology to both find valuable patients and keep them engaged in their clinical trials. Nearly 80% of attendees wanted to receive further information about how mobile communications and the internet could be used to support trials currently being initiated.

Areas of specific interest for future consideration were Electronic Diaries using cell phone technology, social networking websites, medication and dosing reminders delivered via text messaging, site website application for easy visit scheduling and patient notifications.

Both Exco InTouch and MMG were delighted with the support and enthusiasm for the workshop and will be repeating the interactive seminar at events in the future. Patrick Hughes, Senior Vice President of Exco InTouch in North America commented, "The interactive session reinforced that Pharma sponsors are looking for new and innovative ways to improve recruitment, retention and compliance within clinical trials. Exco InTouch is helping its clients to reduce lost to follow up and early withdrawal rates by over 30% in some cases and these are exactly the kind of patient communication solutions that will become a common standard within future studies".