WATCH WP2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Stakeholder perspectives on challenges and solutions to recruiting care home residents to vaccine clinical trials
IRAS ID
358081
Contact name
Roy Soiza
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Grampian
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
https://osf.io/2gsny, Protocol registration
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 16 days
Research summary
Care home (CH) residents are largely excluded in vaccine trials, which led to a knowledge gap on the effectiveness of vaccines in this population. The CH residents were worst affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and other infections such as influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Norovirus are very common in CHs. CH residents often experience severe symptoms and adverse outcomes.
Vaccines play a major role in preventing infections, hospitalisation, and death in the CH population. However, vaccines are mainly tested in healthy adult populations whereas the CH populations are much older, frail, and have multiple long-term medical conditions. In addition, the weaker immune system in older people can result in reduced vaccine efficacy. Therefore, it is important to understand the effectiveness and safety of vaccines in CH residents.
Nevertheless, there are multiple challenges to recruiting CH residents in vaccine trials. 80% of CH residents lack the capacity to consent and often need assistance with daily living. Researchers also need more resources, time, and cost to recruit CH residents. Regardless, it is important to test vaccines in this population to make sure that the CH residents receive the best treatment based on the scientific evidence. Therefore, to improve the recruitment of CH residents in vaccine trials, the 'Widening Access to Trials in Care Homes' (WATCH) project was established.
As part of the WATCH project, a qualitative study is planned to identify the challenges and solutions to recruiting CH residents in vaccine trials. We plan to conduct interviews with different stakeholders including the pharmaceutical industry members, clinical trial regulators, healthcare professionals, researchers, CH professionals, and CH residents and relatives in the UK. The findings from this study will contribute to developing best practice guidance in the WATCH project that will guide researchers in planning vaccine trials in CH residents.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
25/NS/0101
Date of REC Opinion
24 Sep 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion