Building patient trust in research.

One of the most critical elements in advancing medical research is patient trust. For many patients and their families, hesitation to join a clinical trial is rooted in a lack of awareness and fear of the unknown – which is why establishing a foundation of visibility and trust is paramount. Two things pharmaceutical companies should be thinking about to build this trust are corporate-level reputation management efforts and fostering transparency at the study-specific level.

Name recognition: Building trust where it matters.

For pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations, this foundation begins with reputation management. A company’s reputation – its perceived trustworthiness, ethical conduct, and commitment to the community – is the foundation upon which all successful patient recruitment strategies are built.

The best-case scenario is that a patient has heard about and trusts your company long before they are asked to join a clinical trial. By establishing this foundation of recognition and trust, there is one less potential hurdle when it comes time for study enrollment. A few ways your company can consider building name recognition with patients is:

• Meaningfully partnering with patient advocacy groups or other patient communities. By supporting these organizations, you’re gaining exposure to patients, and your company demonstrates an enduring ethical commitment to the disease area. The strongest partnerships are long-haul commitments, not one-off charity efforts.
• Connecting personal experience to your brand through patient advocates. When advocacy is rooted in a lived experience, like an advocate sharing their journey with a chronic illness, it establishes an authentic connection that is much more powerful than a corporate message. This transparency helps to reduce stigma and aligns your company with a credible, human cause.
• Boots-on-the-ground engagement. While high-profile advocacy is crucial for macro-level awareness, your company’s reputation is ultimately cemented by direct, community-level engagement. Programs need to be purpose-driven and aimed at helping historically underrepresented communities gain confidence in research participation.

Study enrollment: Focus on clarity and transparency.

Potential participants often struggle with the complexity of medical research. For many, it’s hard to trust a system you don’t understand with your health. The first step in building trust is making the study details clear and accessible.

• Demystify the protocol. Go beyond the standard consent form. Use plain, accessible language, not medical jargon, to explain the purpose, procedures, risks, and potential benefits of this specific study.
• Set realistic expectations. Be transparent about the duration, commitment, and potential uncertainties of the study. Do not overpromise benefits or minimize risks.
• Explain data usage and privacy. Clearly communicate how and where participant data will be used, stored, and protected. Addressing privacy concerns directly reduces skepticism.

For those of us dedicated to clinical trial recruitment, successfully enrolling participants hinges not just on trial design, but on the industry’s ability to reduce skepticism and build authentic confidence in the research process. By having a proactive plan in place, both at a corporate and study-specific level, to build trust in research, we all benefit. Looking for more guidance? Let’s connect!