STAT Plus: How to rebrand a clinical trial? For one study, Instagram influencers and a dash of wit go a long way
For the better part of four years, Samantha Meltzer-Brody has been trying to recruit thousands of women for a large study she was leading to investigate the potential role of genetics in postpartum depression.
The study’s launch was covered in the New York Times, which helped fuel a surge in participation at the outset. But over the years, signups waned, a problem that’s common in clinical trials.
