Newswise — SAN DIEGOFeb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SMi Trial™, ScienceMedia's protocol compliance and risk-based training solution for clinical trials, now supports diversity in clinical trials. To premiere at SCOPE 2023 in Orlando, FL, SMi Trial incorporates patient facing training for trial recruitment with content focused on diverse and underrepresented populations that are typically naïve to clinical trial participation.

Training from a trusted source that brings consistency through the industry is critical. Enter ScienceMedia.

The lack of racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials keeps both scientists and those of underrepresented populations from understanding the safety and effectiveness of therapies for these population groups. The challenges to diversity stem largely from medical mistrust, language and cultural differences, negative beliefs, lack of community outreach, and lack of access.

ScienceMedia CEO, Mark Surles, Ph.D., shares, "The barriers to bring a more diverse patient population to clinical trials is a real issue. Without proper communication, education, and trust, minority patients typically do not enroll. Further, they go to doctors that are new to clinical trials and make mistakes that are common to naïve sites. A significant training component from a trusted source that brings consistency through the industry is critical. ScienceMedia can do this."

With SMi Trial's patient-centric content, the goal is to improve the trust, understanding, and awareness of these diverse populations. Surles continues, "Patient-centric education in SMi Trial provides a way that any community can understand in their own language(s) and culture(s) what a clinical trial is, the importance to future healthcare, and what to expect when enrolled. Further, once enrolled, it is just as important to then comply with the trial protocol through study conclusion. SMi Trial provides instructions throughout the trial and forms a common understanding between the patient and their healthcare provider." 

SMi Trial's trusted protocol-specific patient education fosters trust in clinical trials, increases study awareness, and improves health equity. Created by clinical experts, SMi Trial offers patient-oriented, user-friendly videos that assist patients, increase patient diversity, and optimize study compliance throughout the entire clinical trial process. This includes content that details expectations about the consent process and prepares patients for doctor visits and home healthcare visits. SMi Trial identifies misunderstandings early and thus mitigates risks before much time passes.

Whether experiencing high turnover or needing ongoing training, site staff can be educated proactively on how to run the specific trial, and, as a result, can always be ready to activate patients and start the enrollment process, especially for diverse populations. For additional information about how ScienceMedia's protocol compliance management training can benefit your trial, follow ScienceMedia via LinkedIn or our blog

About ScienceMedia 

ScienceMedia improves clinical competency through innovative multimedia learning solutions. SMi Trial, for site-based trials, and SMi TrialD™, for decentralized or hybrid trials, are protocol compliance solutions that mitigate clinical risk and decrease trial cost. SMi Source provides just-in-time, thoroughly referenced information on diseases and clinical trial topics through a mobile-enabled, cloud-based medical science library with 360+ hours of microlearning and 300+ full courses.