Written by Hope Ventricelli | Manager of Events and Community Engagement
For the first time, CISCRP brought its AWARE for All program to regional areas across the United States while remaining virtual. The AWARE for All program was created to raise awareness about the clinical research process and to provide education among diverse communities. The webinar for the first edition of this series, AWARE for All — Northeast, went live through the virtual platform ON24 on April 15th. For those who wish to watch on-demand or continue their learning, a recording of this webinar is available through the Informational Exhibit Center (IEC) found on the CISCRP website. The IEC features educational content from organizations across the Northeast, spanning multiple states and therapeutic areas. The IEC is designed to be easily accessible and to address the lack of knowledge about the clinical research and health resources in the audience’s “own backyard.”
The CISCRP Events Team brought in more than 40 exhibiting organizations for the series’ opening event, from clinical research sites to community clinics and local health centers. Each shared free educational resources with the audience in the IEC. While several groups offer information about the trials they offer, most exhibitors simply aim to provide general education or medical information about specific health conditions. This helps to include those not as familiar with research and to make them feel comfortable learning more. Attendees cited their desire to learn more about research as their main reason for registering. Many also shared that they have a friend or loved one with a health problem.
The IEC had an impressive number of viewers. More than 1,800 new and returning community members visited the virtual educational booths and the new Health and Wellness Pavilion, which features health tips and exercises.
Through post-event surveys, audience members shared that their biggest takeaway was that they better understood the clinical research process and were grateful to have their questions answered in real time. As to their favorite part of the program, most attendees referenced the panel discussion.
Through the panel discussion, AWARE for All — Northeast focused on key health issues such as oncology, Parkinson’s Disease, asthma, and the importance of diversity among trial participants. Outreach to minority health groups helped to bring a diverse audience from the local population to hear more from the speakers themselves. The lively discussion, which was moderated by CISCRP’s own Behtash Bahador, included several study participants as well as local researchers and industry stakeholders. These experts shared their individual experiences and answered questions the audience most wanted to know.
Each virtual AWARE for All program aims to bring the research community, patients, and the public together to support a discussion in understanding clinical research and, most importantly, the role of study participants.
Including the Northeast edition, CISCRP’s AWARE for All program will virtually host in 5 different regions through 2021. Future programs include Northwest on May 20th, Midwest on July 22nd, Southwest on October 21st, and Southeast on November 18th.
To learn more about exhibiting at AWARE for All, contact hventricelli@ciscrp.org.
