group because of small numbers of pediatric patients with CHC (Wirth, Lang, Gehring, & Gerner, 2002). Thus, strategies to recruit and retain children with CHC in a clinical trial have not been described. Effective recruitment and retention of participants is an essential component of the workload in conducting a prospective large-scale multi- center clinical trial and presents a methodological challenge. Investigators have to contend with the usual difficulties encountered when recruiting adults with CHC into an interferon based treatment trial, including, the lengthy 6- 12months of treatment, the numerous side effects, and the negative impact of the treatment on usual activities. In addition, investigators involved with trials in children need to take into consideration the factors specific to the pediatric population, including the need for both children and caregivers to comply with treatment, the child’s resistance to injections, and agerelated differences in understanding the need for treatment (Murray et al., 2007). The diverse backgrounds and needs of children affected by CHC have to
be considered along with the common reluctance of families to enroll their children in a clinical trial.