Can subjects be included in a study or are there exclusion criteria? These are the questions that TELAG's healthcare team investigates in the run-up to clinical trials. In so-called patient screenings, the certified TELAG employees check whether the interested subjects are suitable for the planned study. Through pre-qualifications, the TELAG team relieves the workload of study centers, clinics and medical professionals and contributes to a high level of efficiency in the recruitment of suitable study participants.
Whether Alzheimer's disease, Crohn's disease, epilepsy or hair loss: all the transnational clinical trials are based on professional patient screening - and this in turn is based on pre-screening at TELAG. Within the framework of this pre-qualification, the most important inclusion and exclusion criteria are clarified online and/or by telephone with the potential study participants. This prevents patients who do not clearly fit into the study from unnecessarily participating in a screening at the respective clinic.
TELAG's healthcare team is spezialised in patient support during the implementation of clinical trials as well as in the pre-screening of suitable subjects. The pre-screenings are conducted online by means of a questionnaire as well as by telephone in the respective national language of the prospective participants. If a patient fulfils all the inclusion criteria mentioned in the protocol and there are no exclusion criteria, screening follows at the test center. The entire testing procedure and process is fully documented and serves the safety of the patients as well as the efficient selection of suitable subjects.
The inclusion and exclusion criteria for screening are defined in the protocol. Potential study participants can apply for advertised participation in studies based on their underlying disease. Suitable candidates are forwarded to the test centre or hospital by the professional screening staff, and excluded persons are informed of the reasons for exclusion.
Filter relieves clinics
Reasons for inclusion or exclusion can be certain previous treatments as well as the corresponding type and stage of the respective disease. The filter resulting from the screening ensures that doctors and clinical staff can focus on the qualified subjects. In the case of study topics with many potential participants, such as hormonally induced hair loss in post-menopausal women, the pre-filter provided by the TELAG team, ensures a smaller selection of candidats thanks to the complete screening in the pre-selection. In the case of other, rarer clinical conditions and symptoms, the specifications for the minimum number of study participants must be met. Here, TELAG's certified healthcare team advises pharmaceutical companies on the selection of channels and the correct duration of the advertisements via the website and on social media.
Pre-Screening is relevant for study success
The success of a clinical trial stands and falls with the optimal selection of suitable patients. The experience of the subjects in the run-up to the study plays a decisive role in determining their compliance until the end of the study. TELAG's healthcare team is committed to reaching the right patients in 29 languages and encouraging them to participate until the end. of the study. This is because the clinical trials only deliver meaningful results if there is a high level of compliance on the part of the participants. A successful start - the optimal prequalification of the right patients - is therefore essential for a successful conclusion.
No interruption during corona
20 years of experience and passionate and certified employees ensure that the international studies - from Australia to the Azores, from Mexico to the Philippines and all countries in between - are conducted efficiently and with a focus on the right patients. The pandemic did not put a stop to screening and clinical trials - on the contrary: screening and trials could be handled very efficiently. The volunteers were more accessible while working from home than before the crisis. This ensured additional efficiency with higher compliance.
Where certified healthcare experience meets over 20 years of experiencePharmaceutical companies all over the world rely on TELAG AG to successfully conduct and complete international studies with high compliance. The personal interviewing of patients in 29 languages is just as much part of the core tasks of the certified healthcare team as the complete documentation and global reporting for rapid scientific progress with the highest level of safety for the study participants. |
Patient screening, registration study, cohort study, clinical trial, phase III or IV study: in which topic may we share our two decades of experience with you? Marianne Kamstra, Key Account Manager Healthcare, marianne.kamstra@telag.ch +41 44 276 44 78
