Resource centre
Our resource centre provides practical guidance, downloadable documents, links to relevant websites as well as useful references for trialists.
MRC START documents
- MRC START protocol (pdf, 795KB)
- MRC START Flyer (Nov 2013) (pdf, 1,039KB)
- MRC START data sharing agreement (pdf,65KB)
- MRC START in [Host trial] Protocol (pdf, 227KB)
- MRC START poster (pdf,1,449KB)
- MRC START development and evaluation of multimedia resource poster (pdf, 592 KB)
- MRC START Publications and authorship arrangements (pdf, 132KB)
- MRC START Text for substantial amendment (pdf, 455KB)
- MRC START Sub study registration (pdf, 286KB)
A range of other interventions are currently being tested as part of MRC START and may be used by trialists wishing to test them in their trials: see Other recruitment interventions.
Practical guidance on how to effectively recruit participants into clinical trials
- Advice on evidence-based approaches to recruiting in clinical trials - HTMR Network Top-tips for Trial Recruitment, V0.1 July 2013"
- Practical guidance on recruiting in primary care from the Primary Care Research Network - "Primary care research recruitment: a practical guide"
Currently in the news
- Health Research Authority: preparation guidance on Decisional tools for participant information leaflets.
- Lilly Clinical trial redesign challenge: competition to redesign participant information sheet in a more patient-friendly manner.
Useful websites
- MRC NW hub for trials methodology research
- MRC Hubs for Trials Methodology Research
- Primary care research network
- National Institute for Health Research
- PRIMER (Primary Care Research in Manchester Engagement Resource): Patient and public involvement group.
- SWAT 1 (Studies within a trial): established by the All-Ireland Hub for Trials Methodology Research in collaboration with the MRC Network of Hubs.
- Global health methodology research. This website is a useful resource, providing a range of free, downloadable templates and tools for use in clinical research.
- Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency
References
The following published articles are useful references. Articles 1-8 formed the basis for the MRC START project:
| Title | Author(s) | Publication |
|---|---|---|
| Trials within trials? Researcher, funder and ethical perspectives on the practicality and acceptability of nesting trials of recruitment methods in existing primary care trials | Jonathan Graffy, Peter Bower, Elaine Ward, Paul Wallace, Brendan Delaney, Ann-Louise Kinmonth, David Collier and Julia Miller | BMC Medical Research Methodology 2010, 10:38 doi:10.1186/1471-2288-10-38 |
| Increasing recruitment to randomised trials: a review of randomised controlled trials | Judith M Watson and David J Torgerson | BMC Medical Research Methodology 2006, 6:34 doi:10.1186/1471-2288-6-34 |
| Strategies to improve recruitment to randomised controlled trials (Review) | Treweek S, Pitkethly M, Cook J, Kjeldstr'm M, Taskila T, Johansen M, Sullivan F, Wilson S, Jackson C, Jones R, Mitchell E. | The Cochrane Library 2010, (pdf, 495KB) issue 4 |
| Performance-based readability testing of participant information for a Phase 3 IVF trial | Knapp P, Raynor D, Silcock J, Parkinson B. | Trials 2009;10: |
| Improving recruitment to health research in primary care | Bower P, Wallace P, Ward E, Graffy J, Miller J, Delaney B, et al. | Fam Pract 2009;26:391-397 |
| Engaging family practitioners in research: are we getting it right? | Graffy J | Fam Pract 2008;25:69-70. |
| UK research staff perspectives on improving recruitment and retention to primary care research; nominal group exercise | Graffy J, Grant J, Boase S, Ward E, Wallace P, Miller J, et al. | Fam Pract 2009;26:48-55. |
| Contrasting approaches to recruitment in primary care research | Ward E, Miller J, Graffy J, Bower P. | Primary Health Care Research and Development |
| Recruitment to clinical trials: a meta-ethnographic synthesis of studies of reasons for participation | McCann, S. ; Campbell, M. ; Entwistle, V. | Journal of Health Services Research and Policy VOL 18; NUMB 4 (2013) ISSN 1355-8196 |
| Methods to improve recruitment to randomised controlled trials: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis | Treweek, Shaun; Lockhart, Pauline; Pitkethly, Marie; Cook, Jonathan A. Kjeldstrm, Monica Johansen, Marit Taskila, Taina K. Sullivan, Frank M. Wilson, Sue Jackson, Catherine | BMJ Openbmjopen.bmj.com BMJ Open 2013;3:e002360 doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002360 |
| SWAT 1: what effects do site visits by the principal investigator have on recruitment in a multicentre randomized trial? | Smith V, Clarke M, Devane D, Begley C, Shorter G, Maguire L. | Journal of Evidence Based Medicine (2013), VOL 6, Num 3 doi: 10.1111/jebm.12049 |
| A reinvestigation of recruitment to randomised, controlled, multicenter trials: a review of trials funded by two UK funding agencies | Sully BG, Julious SA, Nicholl J. | Trials. 2013 Jun 9;14:166. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-166. |