GLP-1 medications are transforming treatment across a range of conditions, from diabetes and obesity to emerging areas like MASH, cardiovascular disease, and addiction. But the key to success in any GLP-1 clinical trial lies not just in the drug, but in patients, and no two are the same.
Different diagnoses come with different levels of awareness, urgency, stigma, and motivation. That’s why a one-size-fits-all recruitment strategy simply doesn’t work. To recruit, engage, and retain diverse patient populations, GLP-1 trials must be built on tailored, patient-first approaches.
Understanding patients
How patients perceive their diagnosis fundamentally shapes their likelihood to participate in a clinical trial.
- Medicalized conditions like diabetes, MASH, and cardiovascular disease are typically seen as serious, long-term health threats. Patients diagnosed with these conditions are often open to structured care, including trial participation.
- Stigmatized or non-medicalized conditions such as obesity, substance use disorder, and PCOS are more complex. Many patients may not even view themselves as “patients” and instead internalize shame, failure, or confusion about their condition.
Understanding these perceptions is critical. Without it, even the best-designed protocol can fall flat at enrollment.
Finding patients
To reach patients where they are, you need more than a digital ad. Finding the right participants requires precision targeting based on how different populations respond to trial outreach.
SubjectWell identifies and activates patients across:
- Pre-consented patient databases with deep demographic, clinical, and psychographic profiles
- Community channels that reflect cultural relevance and trust
- Global media networks that amplify reach in diverse and underrepresented populations
When you understand how people interpret their condition, you can find them through the channels they trust and speak in a language they understand.
Engaging patients
Engagement starts with the first impression. And with emotionally charged or stigmatized conditions, messaging must be deeply empathetic and culturally informed.
Effective engagement for GLP-1 trials includes:
- Motivator mapping: Health, appearance, social, and intrinsic motivations all influence trial interest
- Diverse, representative creative: Patients need to see themselves in your materials to feel seen
- Human connection: Our multilingual, clinically trained Patient Companions guide patients with empathy and expertise
By understanding what matters to different patient types, we create connections that lead to action.
Managing patients
GLP-1 trials often generate high initial interest, but not all interest is informed or eligible. Misaligned expectations and burdensome protocols can drain site resources and delay timelines.
SubjectWell’s management services reduce this risk by:
- Providing pre-randomization support through Full-Site Support and appointment scheduling
- Delivering high-quality referrals via secondary screening and confirmed diagnoses
- Centralizing data with OneView, our technology platform that gives real-time insight into performance across geographies and sites
Smart management is about protecting the patient experience.
Retaining patients
Dropout rates in GLP-1 trials can reach 40%, often due to emotional, physical, and logistical barriers. Patients must commit to long timelines, manage side effects, and navigate stigma, especially in trials targeting obesity or addiction.
Retention improves when we:
- Set expectations clearly and provide ongoing education and encouragement
- Minimize patient burden through personalized support and resources
- Continue human connection post-randomization with high-touch retention services led by Patient Companions
When patients feel understood, supported, and valued, they’re more likely to stay and succeed in GLP-1 trials.
GLP-1 trials present extraordinary promise, but also extraordinary complexity. Each patient brings a different lived experience, mindset, and motivation. That’s why tailored engagement is essential for effective trials.
At SubjectWell, we help you understand, find, engage, manage, and retain the right patients for your GLP-1 trial every step of the way.
Ready to put patients first? Explore how SubjectWell personalizes recruitment for GLP-1 clinical trial success.
