Clinical trial recruitment firms and the PR firms that offer this service are starting to look at social media as a means to better reach potential patients that may not be aware of certain trials, or that they could qualify for them.
Last week, the Los Angeles Times on the number of clinical trials that are postponed because enrollment numbers have not been met. And a March 10 Newsweek story at the types of social media networks that pharmaceutical companies are tapping into to recruit patients.
While Facebook and Web sites have been two major for pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies to recruit patients, one firm is eying Twitter - specifically because it is already a public forum, unlike a private Facebook page, says Carmen Gonzalez, manager of strategy and communications for Healthcare Communications Group.
“It’s a way to cut through the noise,” she notes.
The clinical trial recruitment firm recently drafted a set of guidelines to provide to clients who are considering Twitter as a part of their strategy.
