CPRD SPRINT (Speedy Patient Recruitment INto Trials)

CPRD SPRINT (Speedy Patient Recruitment INto Trials) is tailored to support commercial organisations rapidly recruit high quality patients living with chronic conditions in the community, into phase 2 and 3 trials.

CPRD SPRINT services generate a tight funnel of high-quality potentially eligible patients. Patients are located through near real-time centralised searches of UK-wide electronic health records (EHR) against protocol criteria, followed by clinical review of a patient’s suitability by their GP. Selected patients can be geolocated around clinical sites in any setting across the UK.

How does CPRD SPRINT benefit patients?

  • CPRD SPRINT increases opportunities for patients to participate in trials regardless of where they live
  • Only patients who are most suitable to take part in a trial are approached by their GP, which means valuable patient time isn’t wasted
  • A patient’s GP believes the patient will benefit from participating in the clinical trial

What is involved in the CPRD SPRINT process?

Funnel diagram showing what is involved in the CPRD SPRINT process

Only the GP and GP practice staff know the identity of the patients. CPRD does not have access to identifiable patient data. See www.cprd.com/safeguarding-patient-data for more information about how CPRD protects patient confidentiality.

  • GP practices contribute to CPRD Primary Care database
  • Search conducted on CPRD database and pseudonymised suitable patient list created
  • GP reviews list and only invites potentially eligible patients 
  • Patients directly contact trial research site

What are the advantages of CPRD SPRINT over traditional recruitment methods?

  • Access to over 16 million patients currently registered at GP practices contributing to the CPRD UK wide database
  • Rapid feasibility estimates based on real world patients, providing confidence in UK patient recruitment to global trials
  • Geographically targeted site selection locating patients close to research sites or advising on where new sites may be best located
  • Short time frames between finding and inviting potentially eligible patients to join a study with lists of suitable patients sent to GPs at the start of the study
  • Near real-time modifiable centralised database searches to optimise searches and maximise the pool of potentially eligible patients invited throughout the recruitment window
  • Trusted invitation source with patients invited onto the study by their own GP practice
  • Greater patient engagement with invitations only sent that are directly relevant to a patient’s specific condition, meaning they are more likely to respond
  • Higher screen success due to more targeted patients presenting at the research site, which reduces screen failures and doesn’t waste patients’ time
  • Highly focused recruitment process compared to traditional methods resulting in shorter recruitment period with targets hit more quickly 

What is the process for contracts?

Between CPRD and Sponsor: CPRD has developed an efficient system of contract signing based on a Master Service Agreement supported by specific work orders for each project. We can also work with the client model of contracting if preferred.

Between CPRD and GP practices: CPRD has contracts with GP practices which is supported by specific work orders for individual studies, enabling faster turnaround. 

How quickly can CPRD SPRINT be set up to start recruitment?

The CPRD SPRINT model is designed to set up and start recruitment as quickly as possible. This is achieved by engaging and contracting with GP practices well in advance of study start. 

How is CPRD SPRINT different from a Patient Identification Centre (PIC) service?

CPRD carries out a centralised anonymised patient search on CPRD data rather than local searches at individual GP practices. CPRD is not considered to be a PIC because it is not an NHS organisation.

Which trials are best suited to CPRD SPRINT?

  • Phase 2 or Phase 3 clinical trials recruiting in the UK
  • Recruitment target ideally over 100 patients
  • Patients living in the community with GPs managing their long term chronic conditions

How does CPRD SPRINT work with the NIHR Clinical Research Network?

CPRD works closely with the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) to encourage research uptake in the primary care setting. Where applicable, NIHR CRN supports CPRD SPRINT activities and CPRD and NIHR CRN work together to ensure there is no duplication of effort.

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