James H. Doroshow, MD, senior investigator, Developmental Therapeutics Branch (DTB), director, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, deputy director for clinical and translational research, head, Oxidative Signaling and Molecular Therapeutics Group, DTB, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), discusses strategies that were implemented to increase patient accrual to clinical trials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During March to June 2020, patient accrual to the NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network decreased by about 50%, says Doroshow. Limited health care personnel and patient reluctance to come into the clinic were major contributors to this decline, Doroshow explains.

As such, the NCI and the Division of Cancer Prevention implemented a series of changes to attempt to combat the drop in patient accrual, Doroshow says. For example, investigational oral drugs were sent to local clinical trial sites to increase patients’ accessibility to treatment, Doroshow explains. Additionally, an electronic informed consent system was set up to make it easier for patients to enroll on a study, Doroshow says.

Notably, patients and local physicians were able to obtain imaging scans and laboratory tests locally rather than having the patient drive to the clinical trial site, Doroshow says. This approach made clinical trials significantly more accessible to patients who would have otherwise had to travel long distances to a clinical trial site, concludes Doroshow.

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James H. Doroshow, MD, discusses strategies that were implemented to increase patient accrual to clinical trials during the COVID-19 pandemic. 



Dr. Doroshow on Increasing Patient Accrual to Clinical Trials During the COVID-19 Pandemic 

James H. Doroshow, MD, senior investigator, Developmental Therapeutics Branch (DTB), director, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, deputy director for clinical and translational research, head, Oxidative Signaling and Molecular Therapeutics Group, DTB, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), discusses the importance of modernizing clinical trials in the post–COVID-19 era.

During week 2 of the 2021 AACR Annual Meeting, Doroshow, as well as a panel of discussants, participated in a virtual panel to shed light on oncology clinical trial modifications and guidelines that have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the panelists agreed that many of the patient-centered changes made to clinical trial protocols should be permanently retained after the pandemic, Doroshow explains. 

Additionally, it is important that clinical trials do not revert to standard protocols that have been utilized for decades, says Doroshow. Although this will be difficult, input from patient advocacy communities and the NCI could help avoid regression to how clinical trials were conducted before the pandemic, Doroshow explains. 

Ultimately, long-term clinical trial modernization will require additional evidence to show that the studies are safe and capable of proving the efficacy of novel therapies, Doroshow says. It is likely that modern clinical trials will be cost effective, more representative of diverse patient populations, and a significant advance in the field, concludes Doroshow. 

James H. Doroshow, MD, discusses the importance of modernizing clinical trials in the post–COVID-19 era.  



James H. Doroshow, MD

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Dr. Doroshow on Increasing Patient Accrual to Clinical Trials During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr. Doroshow on the Importance of Modernizing Clinical Trials After COVID-19