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Challenge 1: Unresponsive patients Your sites are receiving email addresses and phone numbers from patients who are apparently interested in your trial. But when the site reaches out to them to follow up about your trial? No response. 

Like many people living with Crohn's disease, Tina Aswani Omprakash had trouble finding a treatment that would send her symptoms into remission. 

November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. It's no secret that Alzheimer's is one of the world's most challenging diseases, with limited treatment options – and none of them able to stop or reverse disease progression. 

November is Family Caregivers Month. Around 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult 50 or older in the last 12 months. Of those, 15.6 million are caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia. 

For patients, joining a clinical trial is a significant decision. Before signing up, it's important to consider everything from how easy it is to get to the site location, to whether or not the goal resonates. 

Crohn's disease can be exhausting. But tired feelings may go beyond the stress of dealing with a chronic illness. Over a third of people with Crohn's disease may have anemia: low levels of red blood cells or hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen throughout the body, which causes symptoms like fatigue and weakness.

"Social media doesn't work for clinical trial recruitment."

October is Health Literacy Month. Health literacy refers to how well patients understand medical information from doctors. It plays a critical role in whether or not a patient receives the right care for them. 

One in five adults in the U.S. experience a mental health condition each year. Of those, only 43.3% received treatment last year. This World Mental Health Day, we’re highlighting the importance of both awareness and treatment for the millions of people struggling with symptoms.

Of all of the elements of a clinical trial, optimizing patient recruitment may make the most significant impact on trial timelines. Even if you're meeting your recruitment goals – a rare accomplishment, to say the least – trials and budgets always benefit from better efficiency.