Antidote’s driving force is matching people to clinical trials. One of the ways we achieve this is to prioritize our connection with patients. Understanding the impact of our work in real life allows us to continuously improve our processes and approach clinical trial recruiting from a patient-centric perspective.
Dave de Bronkart is another patient that we have had the pleasure of meeting. He’s also known as ePatient Dave. After a devastating diagnosis of an advanced form of rare kidney cancer, Dave de Bronkart from Boston has embarked on a journey that will make him one of the most well-known patient advocates around the world. Dave began an online research to learn more about his condition. This led him to the patient community that helped save his life and the treatment that he received. Dave has traveled the world ever since with one mission in mind: to help patients take care of themselves.
Dave is passionate about patient-centricity in clinical trials. During our conversation, he shared with us his ideas on how the empowerment of patients can accelerate the development of new therapies. Continue reading to find out more about Dave’s perspective.
Patient-centric clinical trials: The perspective of the patient
Time is of the essence for those with rare and progressive diseases. Dave said, “There’s a time value to therapy that may exceed its certainty.” Patients who are looking for a higher quality of life and have exhausted all their treatment options may be more willing than others to take risks and experiment. They can’t often wait the ten years it takes for a new FDA-approved drug to be approved.
He says that by focusing more on the patient in clinical trials, it is easier to achieve ‘patient-centered results.’ Understanding what participants value, what outcome they hope for, and how much risk they’re willing to take can assist sponsors in creating protocols that are better suited to the population they’re trying to reach.
Clinical trial protocols that are patient-centric
can take many steps to ensure that trial designs are patient-centric. Working with patient advocacy groups and patient influencers allows for insight that comes directly from those whom the protocol will most impact. This can help inform inclusion and exclusion criteria that are unnecessarily strict. A live protocol simulation allows you to measure the reactions of patients in a clinical trial setting. This feedback can be very valuable and can impact recruitment.
If you want to learn more about Dave, his website contains links to his blog, books, and appearances. Click the button below to find out what clinical trials are recruiting in your locality.