Social Media: Valuable Tool in Clinical Research

The relationship between websites such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn and clinical research may not appear to be so obvious. The compatibility between them seems to be somehow vague or carried away between the lines. It might be because the nature of them is envisioned as being separated into two polarities — the formal ones are linked to leisure, business, and, most of all, fun, while studies signify something more serious. When we think about the social sites listed above, we imagine friends, exchange of experience, sharing ideas, and even looking for job opportunities or business growth. When we hear the word clinical trial, we automatically think of improving healthcare and other big-sized global goals. But what will happen when we merge social networks and research? What will that lead us to?

Seeing from the eyes of regular social media users and looking at the present moment through their worldview, recruiters realise that social media is highly demanded instrument for the successful implementation of clinical trials. Today, patients rely on the Internet to dig up information and find out more about clinical developments or chances to participate in appropriate for them trial. Realizing this, researchers and recruiters reach out to social media where people can be found to actively exchange information and participate in discussions.

In addition to this, social media becomes a two-way medium that channels advantages to both sides. On the one hand, the general public can benefit from such websites by discovering real-time information about current practices, ethical standards, criteria for participation, development of trials, their phases, outcomes and so on. On the other hand, researchers can take advantage by looking for potential patients among these online-built communities. Study sponsors are enabled to find eligible human subjects to take part in their study at a much lower cost and even much more quickly. What is more, they can even define the health profile of would-be trial participants.

To sum up, in our fast developing world even medical advancements depend on the relationship between people and technology. The adoption of computers and other devices has become so important that without their help progress becomes almost impossible. In its attempt to boost productivity and to improve clinical procedures, healthcare designs as many contemporary approaches as possible. As a result, the Internet and especially social networks are established not only as the new trend-setters but also as the most cherished mechanisms which many companies employ around the world.

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