Patient engagement and consumerism

Over the last decade, there have been important changes in how patients participate in the research process. Historically, patients have been passive participants in the research process, with engagement at most meaning that a patient would respond to an advertisement to participate in a research study. As health and clinical trial information has become electronic and more easily distributed, patients are able to engage in research in different ways. This has affected all stages of the research process, from recruitment and consent, to participation and finally understanding the results of studies. These recent changes have helped overcome initial barriers to patient participation in trials. As research participation becomes even more driven by patient engagement, even more changes are expected with both potential benefits and risks to the research process.