Communications Handbook for Clinical Trials: Strategies, tips, and tools to manage controversy, convey your message, and disseminate results

About

Communications Handbook for Clinical Trials

Strategies, tips and tools to manage controversy, convey your message and disseminate results

Authors: Elizabeth T. Robinson, Deborah Baron, Lori L. Heise, Jill Moffett, Sarah V. Harlan

The Communications Handbook for Clinical Trials provides practical guidance on how to anticipate and respond to the special communication challenges posed by the conduct of clinical research. First published in 2010, it features more than 40 pieces contributed by researchers and communications experts who share ideas, practical tips, and lessons learned from their experiences in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the United States, and Europe.

A variety of resources are provided to help readers plan and implement communications, including:

  • Sample communications plans for clinical trials
  • Scenario-planning tools for preparing to release trial results
  • Techniques for communicating effectively with journalists

The handbook was co-published by the Microbicides Media and Communication Initiative, a multi-partner collaboration then housed at the Global Campaign for Microbicides at PATH (now coordinated by AVAC), and by Family Health International (now FHI 360). The original version of the handbook can be downloaded in its entirety or chapter-by-chapter from the FHI 360 or AVAC websites.

The Online Communications Handbook

The interactive, online version of the handbook, launched in 2014, is designed to allow users to navigate quickly between and within the nine chapters, providing easy access to tools, templates, and other resources. It also contains new resources for use in communications planning and implementation:

  • Word versions of selected templates that can be adapted as needed
  • A series of slide presentations, based on the chapters of the handbook, designed as speaker-support materials to help you integrate communications into your studies and programs
  • Video clips about communications throughout a clinical trial.

This work was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of FHI 360 and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Financial assistance was provided by USAID under the terms of Cooperative Agreement GHO-A-00-09-00016-00, the Preventive Technologies Agreement (PTA).

© FHI 360