Table 2 Barriers to cancer control trial accrual at institutions
Themes and sub-themes (number of times mentioned) | Example quotations |
|---|---|
Staff presence and dynamics (29) | |
Insufficient staff (16) | "No CRA manpower to dedicate to data collection and study coordination." |
Insufficient time (7) | "The most pressing problem is time - not enough time to get all of the protocols through the IRB and not enough to complete data." |
"Sometimes identified patients end up not going on study due to the lack of time for consenting by staff physicians/fellows/NPs in a timely manner." | |
Lack of communication (4) | "(Need) good communication between the research team and the clinical team." |
Lack of awareness (2) | "Lack of knowledge by the clinical staff of available and currently open COG studies." |
Logistics including adequate numbers of eligible patients (26) | |
Eligibility criteria too restrictive (13) | "Apart from inclusion/exclusion, sometimes the need to start within a certain period." |
Regulatory barriers to trial activation (6) | "Getting trials open - bureaucratic hoops." |
Inability to identify eligible patients (4) | "(…) it is difficult for a CRC to keep on top of all potentially eligible patients," |
Overwhelmed patients/families (3) | "Physicians struggle with when to approach (…) when MDs choose to wait, the studies are often forgotten." |
Interests and priorities (13) | |
CCL not a priority (8) | "(CCL is) at the bottom of our priority list amongst all other front line treatment studies." |
"Investigators focusing all their efforts on the treatment studies." | |
Lack of family interest (3) | "Feeling like they will be taking another medication that is really not required." |
Perceived negative effects of study medications (2) | "Some physicians may be biased about perceived effects/side effects of the study." |
Resources (6) | |
Lack of adequate resources (4) | "Studies that have research funded procedures (are easier)." |
Low reimbursement (2) | "Low reimbursement." |