Background
Acne
ACNE, RECRUITMENT, RECRUITMENT
People’s willingness to volunteer their time to participate in clinical trials is crucial to the development of evidence that advances clinical treatment and healthcare practice. Recruitment and retention of participants have continued to be two of the largest challenges to date, with over half of the trials failing to meet recruitment targets, resulting in insufficient data, trial delays, increased costs and ethical concerns [Known barriers to participants enrolling on trials include fear of perceived risk, transport, time, distrust, and aversion to randomisation [Cochrane systematic reviews have shown there is a need to generate evidence-based solutions to these common barriers and to encourage participants to enrol and continue participation in research [The use of decentralised trials (which bring trials to patients through remote processes and technology versus requiring them to visit a central research site [COVID-19 has been the catalyst for a 93% increase in the use of digital technology to conduct decentralised trials as an alternative to in-person visits between 2020 and 2021 which is continuing to grow [Many dermatology trials are considered non-life threatening and rarely require complex examinations, leading some to believe that decentralised trials may be an attractive option for this type of research [This qualitative study aimed to explore the motivators and barriers to initial enrolment and ongoing participation in the partially decentralised dermatology trial called SAFA (Spironolactone for Adult Female Acne) and contribute to the following James Lind Alliance PRioRiTy questions on recruitment and retention, respectively [What are the key motivators influencing public decision to take part in an RCT?What motivates a participant to complete a clinical trial?