There are three major categories of printed materials supporting clinical trials: 1) Recruitment and Retention Tools, 2) Data Collection Tools and 3) Site Reference Tools.<\/p>\n
Why differentiate?\u00a0Because the intended use of the tools, the time, money and quality put into the development and print of the materials can vary dramatically.<\/p>\n
1. Recruitment and Retention Tools:<\/strong>\u00a0These materials are generally patient-facing and are akin to marketing materials.\u00a0They are intended to encourage the patient to participate in the study and remain a participant throughout the entire visit cycle.\u00a0Investment in development can and should be given significant consideration.\u00a0 A qualified medical writer can\u00a0tailor the content to the appropriate audience, and a graphic designer with both creativity and an understanding of print production can prepare materials that maximize their print value. Generally these materials have a \u201cbrand\u201d or \u201clook\u201d that patients can associate with the trial. Not all designs or layouts print well, so selecting a graphic designer who can create a unique look and select designs that will print well, is key to making these materials effective.<\/p>\n 2. Data Collection Tools:<\/strong> These materials are critical to study success but do not necessarily require a \u201cbrand.\u201d\u00a0For these materials, the design is more important for effective functionality than for aesthetic or recruitment value.\u00a0Forms designers have experience in setting these tools to be easy to understand, straightforward to complete, and effective for data capture and\/or transfer to an electronic system.\u00a0Prior to EDC, data collection forms with multiple write-thru pages were the norm. In today\u2019s increasingly technology driven world, printed data collection tools are single part forms, since much of the information gets transferred to an electronic system.\u00a0 In either case, the best way to maximize the utility of data collection forms is to have them designed for ease of use for the investigator and\/or patient to complete.\u00a0Many trials require multiple assessments during different visits, so it is important that the form is designed well, and that the printed construction is designed effectively.\u00a0 Many times a booklet with all the data collection forms for a single visit, for a single patient works well.\u00a0Other trials utilize a binder for individual patients, and separate visits by tab dividers.\u00a0No matter what the trial requires, data collection forms can be designed and constructed to be completed effectively.<\/p>\n 3. Site Reference Tools:<\/strong> These are often compliance driven, or regulatory documents that the site needs to conduct the study. Unlike recruitment tools, no marketing elements are needed, and unlike data collection tools, design and construction for ease of use is not typically a significant requirement. These materials generally receive the least amount of preparation with regards to design and print.\u00a0Study team members with many responsibilities and areas of focus are often still tasked with developing, preparing and organizing these materials for print.\u00a0That can be okay, since the content is the most critical element of reference materials. However, since these material files are not often prepared by professionals, the print quality can suffer.\u00a0When preparing regulatory or reference materials, a few tips can go a long way to ensuring the highest quality of production.<\/p>\n When in doubt, your print vendor can assist so that you can get the best production quality for these materials.\u00a0They can educate, advise and often manipulate the files so the quality is improved for the end product.<\/p>\n All materials supporting a clinical trial have significance, but not all materials are weighted equally. To get the best quality print for the best value, weigh the return on investment of professional involvement and the item\u2019s intended use.\u00a0Looking at these attributes will help to ensure material budget is effectively leveraged to meet trial objectives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are three major categories of printed materials supporting clinical trials: 1) Recruitment and Retention Tools, 2) Data Collection Tools and 3) Site Reference Tools. Why differentiate?\u00a0Because the intended use of the tools, the time, money and quality put into the development and print of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":69784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[37,50,75,76,77,78],"class_list":["post-168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-imperial-graphics","tag-clinical-trial-materials","tag-clinical-trials","tag-data-collection-tools","tag-print-quality","tag-recruitment-and-retention-tools","tag-site-reference-tools"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n