Case Study
| Client | Disease | n= | Method | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global CRO | Type II DM | Pilot: 40 / Main: 160 | Interview + Web Survey | 2015 |
| Global Pharmaceutical | NSCLC | Online: 160 / Interview: 10 | Interview + Web Survey | 2016 |
| Japanese Pharmaceutical | CNS patients | 1,400 | Phone Interview | 2016 |
| Global CRO | Uterine fibroid | External: 200 / Seikatsu: 1,616 | Web Survey | 2017 |
| Japanese Pharmaceutical | Rheumatoid arthritis | MROC: 20 / IDI: 5 | MROC + Phone IDI | 2017 |
| Global CRO | Type II DM | Interview: 10 / Web: 190 | F2F Interview + Web Survey | 2018 |
| Global Pharmaceutical | Psoriasis | MROC: 50 / IDI: 18 | MROC + IDI | Ongoing |
| Global Pharmaceutical | Acne patient survey | MROC: 300 | MROC | Ongoing |
| Global Pharmaceutical | Prostate cancer qualitative | Qualitative: 10 | F2F Interview | 2018/2019 |
| Global Pharmaceutical | Lung cancer quantitative | Quant: 100 | Web Survey | 2018/2019 |
There were four main situations where pain had a great impact on work and daily life. The most affected group was physical labour and nursing care service workers. Daily routine tasks such as getting up in the morning were affected, as well as housework, childcare, hobbies and sports. Patients were also forced to change occupations and experienced continuous pain and fatigue, resulting in anxiety about becoming unable to walk in the future.
| 3H Support | In-Depth Interview (Qualitative) |
| Timing | Pre Product Launch |
| Target | Knee OA, Back Pain CLBP |
| Sample Size | n=12 (OA=6, CLBP=6) |
| Target Area | All Japan |
| Tactics | DB |
across patient groups
New drugs (Phase 3 completed, NDA under process) being developed based on a new pain-prevention mechanism. The sponsor wanted to understand patient challenges to construct effective messaging for launch in Japan.
| Client | Research Theme | Survey Contents | Sample | Method | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Pharma | Ulcerative Colitis | Quantitative survey on selection and acceptability of treatment methods | 300s | WEB Survey | 2018 |
| Global Pharma | OA (knee) / CLBP | Patient Journey Map and intent to use drug during development | 16s | Qualitative IDI | 2018 |
| Global Pharma | Cancer patient survey | Actual conditions and consultation behaviour around pain and anxiety | 300s | WEB Survey | Ongoing |
| Global Pharma | Prostate cancer qualitative | Communication with medical staff on fatigue and malaise during treatment | 10s | Qualitative (Tel) | Ongoing |
| Global Pharma | Lung Cancer quantitative | IC contents, selection factors and satisfaction in lung cancer drug selection | 100s | WEB Survey | Ongoing |
| Global Pharma | Acne Patients Survey | Quantitative survey on troubles for mild acne patients (reasons to visit / not visit hospital) | 300s | MROC | Ongoing |
| Domestic Pharma | Anaemia Patient Survey | Benefits of new drugs vs current therapies for Anaemia patients | 50s | MROC | 2019 (Planned) |
| Domestic Pharma | Anaemia Patient Survey | Clinical CS survey for patients with Anaemia | Quant: 100 / Quality: 5 | WEB + IDI | 2019 (Planned) |
Although this is a condition with many potential patients, we had no information regarding patient profiles for those visiting hospitals (severe disease) vs our recruitment targets (mild to moderate disease). We ran a pilot plan to test our hypothesis, then used the results to characterize the second screening. The recruitment plan was modified twice during the period. Through strategic planning and optimization, we achieved 115% of the achievement target within 4 months.
| 3H Support | Patient Recruitment Advertisement Campaign |
| Timing | Before start of study |
| Target | Heavy consumers |
| No. of Sites | 80 |
| Area | Nationwide |
| Media Used | DB, Leaflets, Web |
patient eligibility
| Plan | Results | |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment Period | 14 months | 10 months |
| Number of Referrals | 1,996 | 1,079 |
| Number Randomized | 500 | 575 |
Overactive bladder is a condition that many patients are embarrassed to discuss openly. 3H developed a multi-channel approach combining digital outreach with our established patient database to identify and engage eligible participants. Our call center team provided sensitive, trained communication to support conversion from inquiry to referral.
| 3H Support | Patient Recruitment Campaign |
| Timing | During recruitment phase |
| Target | Overactive Bladder patients |
| Area | Nationwide Japan |
| Media Used | DB, Web, SNS |
rate
Oncology trials present a unique challenge — patients are often emotionally vulnerable and already undergoing treatment. 3H's Oncolo platform, with over 200,000 monthly pageviews, provided a targeted channel to reach cancer patients actively seeking clinical trial information. Our specialist team provided empathetic, knowledgeable communication throughout the recruitment process.
| 3H Support | Patient Recruitment via Oncolo Platform |
| Target | NSCLC patients |
| Area | Nationwide Japan |
| Channels | Oncolo, DB, Web advertising |
Rare disease recruitment requires deep community engagement and access to specialist patient networks. Through our RareS. platform — Japan's dedicated rare disease information site — and in collaboration with Genequest, 3H established a patient registry for IBD that dramatically accelerated identification of eligible participants for clinical trials.
| 3H Support | Patient Registry & Recruitment |
| Target | IBD patients (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis) |
| Partner | Genequest |
| Platform | RareS. — Rare Disease Information Site |
| Area | Nationwide Japan |