NCR has three sources from which to attract patients into its studies:

1. The Research Database: Both NCR research centers maintain a database of individuals who have an interest in participating in a research study.

Most individuals in these databases have participated in one or more research studies. They first come to the research center when responding to a research ad, on self referral when the research center is advocated by a friend, or on referral from their primary physician. In this manner, most patients in our database self-selected themselves as being interested in participating in a research study. In contrast, only 1-3% of a people in a practice database historically volunteer to participate in a research study.

A profile of key characteristics of these databases follows. 

2. Collaborating Physician Investigators: Collaborating physician investigators maintain an active patient practice and participate with us in conducting research. Many of their patients consent to participate in our research program. Following are general statistics from these collaborating physician offices. 

3. Patient Mailing Lists: NCR has mailing lists of people with self-professed common medical problems and periodically mails IRB-approved flyers to these individuals making them aware of the studies currently being recruited at NCR. These mailings typically generate a 1-3% response (phone or mail-in card) and a 0.5 to 1.5% study enrollment rate (e.g. a 10,000 patient mailing can be expected to generate 50-150 patient appointments for a given study).

An indication of the medical problems and number of names on some of our mailing lists are provided below: