A behind-the-scenes look at developing patient recruitment materials.
As of 2025, there are more than 515,000 clinical research studies registered globally. And one very important factor connects them all: the need to recruit participants.
Usually, information about actively recruiting clinical research studies can be found online or in brochures, print advertisements, and posters at doctor’s offices. At Praxis, a major part of our work is creating these materials. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into these important recruitment pieces.
The power of a headline.
Oftentimes, recruitment materials like posters and brochures use a brief headline to effectively express a study’s intended goal. Usually hung up in doctor’s offices or waiting rooms, these materials may be the first time an individual learns about a research opportunity. Since these spaces can easily become cluttered with other posters and ads, it’s crucial to stand out, not only to capture the attention of individuals who may be affected but also to increase the chances of success for the study.
When creating a headline, it’s important to focus on the perspective of an individual who may be most affected by a study. For example, if a disease like cystic fibrosis is being researched, it may be best to call out that condition in the headline. Given how rare some conditions like cystic fibrosis can be, having its name in a prominent, visible spot can be sufficient in drawing attention to research being done for a specific condition.
Another important factor we consider is connecting emotionally with potential participants – understanding and empathizing with pain points, patient population preferences, and more. At Praxis, we use insights gleaned from social listening to help inform these headlines and study visuals.
Understanding eligibility criteria.
All clinical research studies use eligibility criteria to determine if an individual can take part. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are key to achieving study enrollment. As such, it’s important to strike a fine balance of choosing the most relevant criteria for a study and criteria that an everyday person can easily understand.
Typically, the two constant criterions across all studies deal with making sure an individual is within a certain age range and confirming that they have the condition that is being researched in the study. After that, it’s important to list criteria that someone can easily answer about themselves. If a study requires an individual to have a specific white blood cell count, they may not be able to answer that. But if a study needs potential participants to have undergone a specific type of surgery before they can enroll, that’s something they can understand and easily answer.
Summing up the study.
When creating a recruitment material, the best way to describe a study is to express it in one sentence, usually at the beginning of a material. This can serve as an extremely brief synopsis that can help an individual understand what condition the study is researching and what kind of treatment is being used. For example, saying “The NAME Study is researching an oral study drug for adults with CONDITION” tells you the study name, what kind of drug is being researched, and the intended audience.
It’s also important to provide individuals with an expected study duration and how many study visits they may be asked to attend. Because some studies may last for a few years or more and require multiple visits, individuals should understand what may be asked of them if they choose to participate. Having a sense of study length and requirements can also help individuals communicate potential travel needs to their caregiver or care partner, if needed.
As you can see, there’s a lot of important consideration that goes into patient recruitment pieces, and that’s why we’re here to help! If you’re looking for support to meet your patient enrollment goals for a clinical research study, connect with us today.
