The Patient in Your Alzheimer's Disease Study May Be in Another: Duplication and Deception in Clinical Trials of Alzheimer's Disease

Using the CTSdatabase, a registry with more than 60,000 participants, the study authors found that nearly 4% of participants who were screened for memory loss studies visited more than one site within two years. Potential Alzheimer’s participants who went to additional sites did so predominantly for nonmemory conditions, often major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. According to the study authors, multiple enrollments confound efficacy and safety signals in clinical trials. They speculate that some participants in Alzheimer’s clinical trials attempt to enroll at multiple sites because they are motivated to find a treatment compound that works for themselves and/or their loved ones at any cost, or because they are “professional subjects” motivated by the incentives. The researchers offer tips for reducing the number of such enrollees.

Shiovitz T, Steinmiller B, Steinmetz C, et al. The patient in your Alzheimer’s disease study may be in another: Duplication and deception in clinical trials of Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease 2020;7(1):43-46.