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Participation in Clinical Trials Lower in Europe and India than in the United States
Harris Interactive studies public perceptions of clinical trials in six European countries and India
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – June 27, 2005 – This issue of the Harris Interactive Healthcare News is the second of two reports this year on adult participation in clinical trials. The first three landmark surveys conducted in 2001, 2003 and 2004 focused on the public and participating subjects in the United States. For the first time, this year’s study extends out to the international community to determine views and attitudes of clinical trials in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Poland and India. These findings can now be compared to the views and attitudes of the U.S. adult population found in Harris Interactive’s 2005 U.S. study available in a separate issue of Healthcare News (Volume 5, Issue 6, June 27, 2005, http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters_healthcare.asp).
The international survey is based on online interviews conducted by Harris Interactive? in collaboration with Fast4wD Ogilvy, Eli Lilly and Company, and CISCRP between April 26 and May 16, 2005 among 2,935 adults aged 18 and older from the following countries: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Poland, and India. Additionally, key metrics and comparisons from the U.S. survey conducted parallel to this survey are included in this report.
Opportunity and Participation in Clinical Trials Adults surveyed in six European countries and in India report low levels of participation in clinical research studies (6%). Very few (8%) say they have ever had the opportunity to participate in a clinical research study. These numbers are slightly lower than what was reported in the United States, as 10 percent of U.S. adults surveyed say they have ever participated in clinical trials, and 15 percent say they have ever had the opportunity to participate. Of the European and Asian countries surveyed, India boasts the highest level of opportunity to participate (14%) with eight percent of Indian respondents saying they have ever participated in a clinical research study.
TABLE 1
PARTICIPATION/OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY
Base: All Adults
| ? | U.S. n=2,261
| Total Non-U.S. n=2,935
| France n=509
| Germany n=599
| Spain n=622
| Italy n=574
| U.K. n=369
| Poland n=134
| India n=128
| | ? | %
| %
| %
| %
| %
| %
| %
| %
| %
| Ever had the opportunity to participate in clinical research study
| 15
| 8
| 9
| 9
| 5
| 5
| 13
| 10
| 14
| Ever participated in a clinical research study
| 10
| 6
| 6
| 6
| 4
| 4
| 9
| 9
| 8
|
Reasons for Participation and Likelihood of Future Participation The top reasons cited for participation in clinical trials are similar in the United States and in the non-U.S. countries surveyed. Nearly half (46%) of respondents in Europe and India who have ever participated in a clinical trial reported that they participated in order to advance medicine and science. A somewhat smaller percentage (37%) say they participated to obtain better treatment for their condition, while 35 percent say they participated to help others with the condition. Approximately one-third of participants in both the United States (36%) and Europe/India (33%) report that earning extra money was a reason for their participation.
TABLE 2
REASONS FOR PARTICIPATION
"Please indicate which of the following, if any, are reasons you decided to participate in a clinical research study. Please select all that apply."
Base: Have ever participated in clinical research study
| ? | Total Non-U.S. n=154
| U.S. n=261
|
| %
| %
| To advance medicine/science
| 46
| 51
| To obtain better treatment for my condition
| 37
| 46
| To help others with the condition
| 35
| 39
| My doctor recommended the study.
| 34
| 31
| To earn extra money
| 33
| 36
| The information I read, saw, or had heard about the study influenced me.
| 28
| 25
| I was curious about the specifics of the study.
| 27
| 26
| To obtain education about treatment/improving my health
| 25
| 30
| There were no other treatment options available.
| 18
| 4
| Friend recommended the study
| 16
| 5
| I have a life-threatening illness.
| 15
| 5
| To obtain free medication (if applicable)
| 13
| 19
| If I knew someone else who had the condition being studied
| 11
| 7
| Family recommended the study
| 8
| 8
| Other
| 7
| 6
| There were no reasons in particular.
| 3
| 1
|
Note: Multiple-response question.
For those in Europe and India who have ever participated in a clinical research study, the likelihood that they would participate in another clinical research study is 80 percent compared to 84 percent in the United States. Among those who say they have not participated in clinical trials or who say they have not had the opportunity to participate, 43 percent of European and Indian respondents overall say they would consider taking part in one, which is lower than the U.S. results (63%).
Methodology
International Study This survey was conducted online within France, Germany, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Poland, and India between April 26 and May 15, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 2,935 adults (aged 18 and over). European data were weighted for age, education, income and region where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Data for France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom were propensity weighted to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. Indian data were weighted for age and gender where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population in those seven countries had been polled with complete accuracy. Sampling error for the various sub-sample results (as shown in the tables above) is higher and varies. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. These online samples were not probability samples.
U.S. Study
This survey was conducted online within the United States between April 19 and 26, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 2,261 adults (aged 18 and over). Data were weighted for age, education, gender, income, race/ethnicity and region where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Sampling error for the sub-samples of those who have participated in a clinical research study (261) and those who would consider participating in a clinical research study (1,525) is higher and varies. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. These online samples were not probability samples.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
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Harris Interactive
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Harris Interactive
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