OBJECTIVES

Clinical research organizations (CROs) face challenges in patient recruitment arising from the increasing complexity of clinical trials. Delays caused by failing to achieve patient recruitment goals [1-3] and protocol amendments [4] contribute to CROs missing pre-launch expectations. These challenges are exacerbated in oncology and rare disease, where patient populations are historically difficult to identify and recruit for trials. The objective of this study was to identify United Kingdom hospitals with narcolepsy patients in order to support patient recruitment.

METHODS

Real-world data on drug prescriptions from the UK healthcare sector was analyzed to identify hospitals with higher numbers of narcolepsy patients. Prescribing of modafinil was used as a proxy measure for this patient population. The prescribing data was then combined with physician data to identify neurologists working at the identified hospitals.

RESULTS

Over 130 hospitals were identified with a narcolepsy patient population. Approximately 1300 neurologists were identified as specialists working at these hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Identification of UK hospitals and physicians treating narcolepsy patients enabled these sites and physicians to be contacted to engage them in clinical trial activity. This approach may help to expedite patient recruitment and reduce the cost associated with clinical trial enrollment.