Project 818 | Medicine meets marketing: co-design of strategies to recruit and retain diverse participants in primary care clinical trials

Clinical trials are essential for determining whether new treatments or medicines are safe and effective. Trialists have long worked closely with primary care, which is embedded within local communities and often serves as the first point of contact in the healthcare system. However, many trials struggle to recruit participants due to limited time and resources. When recruitment fails, trials may close early, wasting resources and slowing medical progress.
Underserved communities face additional barriers that further limit participation. This project forms part of the lead applicant’s doctoral research, which focuses on the benefits and challenges of marketing to recruit and retain underserved groups in primary care clinical trials.

Part 1 will identify the underserved group that will be the focus of the co-design sessions. As it is not feasible to address the needs of all underserved groups, we will review existing studies to narrow the focus to one underserved group, as defined by NIHR INCLUDE guidance, where there is limited existing research and where this project can have the most impact.
Public partners will advise on the review questions, common keywords relevant to the searching of evidence, and
interpretation of the findings to ensure they reflect the perspectives of diverse communities.