A Biotech company approached QPS to conduct a trial with healthy volunteers, where those volunteers were required to have a specific level of IgG and needed to remain in the study for a period of 1 year. This case study outlines the challenges we faced and the solutions we put in place to deliver the study successfully.
Challenge
The Sponsor contracted with QPS to recruit and enroll 90 healthy volunteers with very specific IgG levels. The Sponsor wanted the trial to be conducted at one site, but was not sure if this was possible. Finally, retaining healthy volunteers in a year long study is a significant challenge, and the Sponsor wondered if it was even possible.
Solution - 3 Factors for Success
Flexible Team:
- The Call Center Team stayed in constant communication with the volunteers, via email and telephone, to keep track of them and motivate them to return for study visits.
- The Study Coordinator Team made their stay as short and pleasant as possible, creating a more comfortable and relaxing experience.
Agile Recruitment Process:
- Incorporating an initial pre-screening step (for IgG levels) into the process created a better pool of volunteers for screening.
- Negotiating the stipend up above average rates and tying the stipend payments to the completion of each visit ensured better compliance.
Early Phase Clinical Study Experience:
- Extensive experience recruiting healthy volunteers for clinical trials enabled us to find the right people quickly, exceeding the anticipated enrollment numbers.
- A dedicated Recruitment Marketing Team, working closely with a large in-house call center, ensured that the volunteers fully participated.
Outcome
QPS exceeded the Sponsor’s expectations by building a strategic approach to recruitment and coupling that approach with a robust retention model. In the end, QPS over enrolled the study, 95 volunteers vs the 90 required, and held a 100% retention rate throughout the entire year.
