MMG Introduces Enhanced Education Platform for Clinical Trials, Custom Conversations

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MMG, a full-service global health communications company specializing in clinical-trial patient recruitment and retention, today announced an exclusive strategic partnership with online healthcare communications company MedRespond to introduce a new technological advancement in clinical-trial patient education, Custom Conversations.

Custom Conversations harnesses the engaging power of video, the specificity of natural language query capabilities, and the access of the Internet to achieve superior patient participation in clinical trials. The platform allows patients and caregivers exploring clinical trial options to drive a customized online learning interaction that fulfills their unique information needs. Using a new, advanced synthetic interview technology developed by Carnegie Mellon University, patients also can ask questions in their own words, to which they will receive pre-recorded video responses which have been pre-approved by the study's institutional review board or ethics committee.

Earlier this month, Custom Conversations won the Patient Idol innovation competition at the Patients as Partners Conference in Philadelphia. A panel of judges from the clinical organizations of four major pharmaceutical companies selected the competition's winner from among four presentations.

"MMG is proud to be partnering with MedRespond to bring Custom Conversations to clinical trials. Pilot programs have shown an exponential boost in enrollment rates compared to trials for which patients received only traditional study educational materials. Feedback from key stakeholder categories – patients, trial sites and study sponsors – validate our belief that Custom Conversations is a groundbreaking development in clinical trial engagement," said Helen West, VP of strategic development for MMG.

The Custom Conversations platform can be leveraged throughout the study education continuum – from first learning about a study, to pre-qualification and screening, and for the duration of the study, which can help to fortify retention. For the study's sponsors, the platform's anonymous activity data provides a first-hand view into patients' and caregivers' communication needs and mindsets, which MMG's specialists use to refine recruitment and retention strategies and messaging.

"We see a tremendous opportunity for the Custom Conversations platform in the clinical trial space, and we are excited to partner with MMG in leveraging this proprietary technology," said Ginny Flavin-Pribanic, CEO of MedRespond. "Use of this platform is proving to be a game changer in other healthcare sectors, and we anticipate a similar impact for clinical trial recruitment."

About MedRespond
MedRespond is an online health care communications company that combines artificial intelligence, search, and streaming media so that health care enterprises can provide interactive, personalized, relevant, and inexpensive communication solutions for their customers, patients, and clients – and health care training solutions for their personnel.

About MMG
MMG is the premier global health communications organization specializing in patient recruitment and retention. With experience in more than 70 countries and across a vast range of therapeutic areas, populations, and study types, MMG provides strategies specially crafted for study teams and patient populations while delivering the best return on investment for the sponsor. MMG, a Ketchum company, is a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.

About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The winner of 11 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented three consecutive PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., visit www.ketchum.com.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

SOURCE MMG