• See Clinical Recruitment Guidelines for information and restrictions on the access to and use of email or text messaging to recruit patients.
• Only secure, university-issued or approved email accounts should be used, such as @wisc.edu, @medicine.wisc.edu or @uwhealth.org accounts. Personal email accounts, such as @gmail.com, may not be used. Use encrypted email if possible.
• Email addresses must not include references to health information or other potentially sensitive, private information (e.g., parkinsonsresearch@wisc.edu).
• Protocols or applications must describe how email or text will be used, including the source of email lists or phone numbers, targeted populations, frequency of emails or texts, and methods for potential participants to remove themselves from the email list or stop text messaging. Subjects should be informed if message and data rates apply.
• The following disclosure language should be included in all recruitment materials that invite participants to contact the study team via email or text and at the end of all email communications or initial text messages with subjects for studies that may collect sensitive or health related information:
  • [Email or text] is generally not a secure way to communicate sensitive or health related information as there are many ways for unauthorized users to access [email or text messages]. You should avoid sending sensitive, detailed personal information by [email or text].
• You will need to provide email or text message templates used for recruitment purposes. The subject line and content of these emails or text messages should not contain any references to health information or request health information from the subject through email or text.
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison allows researchers to use email to send its faculty, staff, and students information about research opportunities. Information about the campus mass email service is available at: Mass Email – Getting Started.

For additional information about using email or text messaging in research, please see the General Communication Guidelines section.