title: Use of an online portal to facilitate clinical trial recruitment: a preliminary analysis of Fox Trial Finder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As in other therapeutic areas, clinical studies in Parkinson's disease (PD) face significant recruitment challenges. However, qualitative surveys suggest that individuals with PD are willing to participate in clinical research. The Michael J. Fox Foundation therefore established Fox Trial Finder in 2011 to facilitate connection between PD research teams and volunteers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Characterize the research volunteers (with and without PD) registered on Fox Trial Finder as of June 2014, and the published, recruiting studies to identify trends and highlight gaps between research requirements and available volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Profiles of volunteers with and without PD were analyzed to explore trends in geography, demographics, family history and, for those volunteers with PD, disease progression and treatment history. Clinical study profiles were analyzed to determine study type, phase, sponsor, focus, location and eligibility criteria. The analysis focused on volunteers and studies based in the United States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The database contained 26,261 US-based volunteers, including 19,243 volunteers (73%) with PD and 7,018 (27%) controls without PD. The average time since diagnosis for PD volunteers was 5.7 years and the average age at diagnosis was 58 years. Control volunteers were more likely than volunteers with PD to be female (67% vs. 35%) and to have a family history of PD (49% vs. 12%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fox Trial Finder's registration history to date demonstrates the high level of willingness among individuals affected by PD to participate in clinical research and provide a significant amount of personal health information to facilitate that participation.
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rocker
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lily
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Claire C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sherer
authors.affiliation: The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Sohini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy; D018579:Patient Selection; D012107:Research Design; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Parkinson's disease; clinical trial; observational study; patient recruitment; research subject recruitment