The reasons behind this problem, however, are rarely studied or understood. Despite this, new strategies devised over the last five years are beginning to reverse the trend, and both reduce stigma and increase awareness to funnel new patients into these important trials.
Psychiatric disorders have historically had great difficulty onboarding and retaining patients for clinical trials. Major depression is one of the most prevalent and debilitating disorders which, in a 2015 review, showed a drop-out rate of almost 20% across 45 randomised clinical trials. The consequences of poor retention limit the development of tolerable, effective therapeutic interventions. In terms of poor enrolment, clinical trials investigating psychotic disorders like schizophrenia face a particular dilemma.
