Impact of In-Pharmacy Education on Patients’ Knowledge and Attitudes About Clinical Trials

The lack of public awareness and understanding about clinical research has long hindered the efficiency and speed in recruiting patients to participate in clinical trials. Earlier research conducted by the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) examined whether pharmacists might be a viable channel to educate and engage the public about clinical research, and the results suggested that pharmacy-directed outreach and education are feasible. This study measured the impact of in-pharmacy education on patient comprehension and willingness to participate in clinical research. In collaboration with McKesson and its network of independent community pharmacies, CISCRP trained 32 pharmacists and provided them with educational materials to display and/or distribute at their pharmacies for a period of 2 to 3 months. Presurveys and postsurveys among 487 patients were conducted to gather baseline measures and to assess the impact of educational materials and in-pharmacy discussions. A postsurvey was also conducted among pharmacists. The results of the study show that patient discussions with their pharmacists and patient review of educational materials distributed through pharmacies positively impacted patient awareness, comprehension, and willingness to participate in clinical trials. Indeed, during the study period, 4% of patients who reviewed the materials chose to volunteer for clinical trials. Nearly all baseline measures of awareness and comprehension increased by 10 to 20 percentage points. Respondents were more interested in learning about clinical research after speaking with their pharmacists and reviewing educational materials, and 40% were more likely to recommend participation to a friend or family member.