Cancer Patient Perspectives on Clinical Trial Discussion and Informed Consent Through Telemedicine

Clinical trials are integral for patients with cancer but remain inaccessible to many because of barriers including geographic and transportation challenges. This study aimed to evaluate cancer patients' preferences for telemedicine versus in-person visits for clinical trial discussions and informed consent (IC).

An electronic survey was administered to first-time telemedicine users at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 2021 to 2023. The survey assessed patients' preferences for telemedicine versus in-person visits for the IC process and their comfort with discussing clinical trials virtually. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who indicated that they preferred a telemedicine visit for the IC process. Patient comfort and preference for discussing clinical trials through telemedicine versus an in-person visit was also explored. Structured responses provided quantitative data over the 2021-2023 observation period and demographic variations. To gain a more detailed understanding, unstructured free-text responses describing clinical trial discussions were also analyzed through language modeling.

Overall, 57% of patients (540/955) preferred telemedicine, 26% (249/955) had no preference, and 17% (166/955) preferred in-person visits for the IC process. The preference for telemedicine remained consistent across the 2021-2023 observation period. Most patients reported no difference between a telemedicine versus in-person visit for clinical trial discussion, including asking questions, sharing concerns, declining participation, and asking for more time to make a decision. Language modeling analysis revealed areas for improvement.

A majority of patients at a comprehensive cancer center who participated in clinical trial discussions through telemedicine reported a preference for telemedicine to complete the IC process. Telemedicine thus represents a valuable tool for reducing barriers to clinical trial participation, particularly in reducing travel and time barriers.