I have encountered some studies, where we diagnose the patient with one medical condition, and another clinical trial will diagnose them with another. Now the question arises, why is there such a huge difference in the diagnosis? One possible answer is the patient may actually be one of the diagnoses, just really good at playing the part of the other diagnosis. They’re able to fool the doctors, and the staff. They know what to say, and what behaviors to portray to get a particular diagnosis.

It is very important to thoroughly interview these patients. One of the best ways to do this is, during the pre-screening don’t even tell them what you’re pre-screening them for. Just start asking those questions. For example, if you’re screening for schizophrenia, and they are aware of that, then ask questions pertaining to someone who is Bipolar. This way you can see if they really are schizophrenic, or just saying what you want to hear.

You have to understand these people are looking to make money. So they are going to do whatever it takes to get into those studies. That is why pre-screening is very important. When they call looking for a particular study, before giving away details, ask questions first. Most of these people are very savvy on how the trials work. So you want to protect yourself by following these steps.

We hope this has helped you. If you have any further suggestions or questions, please contact us.