Social Media uses powerful tools that can be used to dispel myths about clinical trials and to engage patients.

(Editor’s Note: Cindy Chmielewski, a myeloma patient, member of the PEN Advisory Board, and longtime patient advocate and teacher, presented a poster exhibit at the recent 2015 AACR conference on the use of social media for clinical trial accrual. Below is the poster description and an image of the poster)

Multiple Myeloma is an INCURABLE cancer of plasma cells. Many researchers feel that a cure can be found in the near future if clinical trials which test their hypotheses are properly designed, fully enrolled and completed in a timely fashion. As a myeloma patient it is frustrating to hear that less than 5 % percent of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials and that 24.4% of cancer clinical trials close early because they fail to complete enrollment. As an independent patient advocate I have made it my mission to use Social Media to knock down barriers to trial accrual.  Social Media provides powerful tools such as online patient communities, Twitter, podcasts, Facebook, patient blogs, and YouTube that can be used to dispel myths about clinical trials, excite the population about the successes of recent research and educate potential participants and physicians about clinical trial options.  According to the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) an overwhelming majority of people (77%), say that they would consider getting involved in an appropriate clinical research study if asked. Since many doctors aren’t asking patients to participate in clinical trials patients need to be educated and empowered to question their doctors about ALL their treatment options, including trial participation. Social Media has helped me evolve from a passive by-stander in my medical care to an engaged partner and it is my mission to use it to help fellow patients.