What are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are research studies done to test new and promising ways to treat diseases. Before a medication or procedure can be FDA-approved, it must be tested to make sure it is safe and effective.
Should I Consider a Clinical Trial?
Choosing to take part in a trial is an individual decision based on your health and your medical condition. If you consider entering a study, you will be given all information available and have the opportunity to discuss your options in detail with your physician. Only you can decide if the study is right for you.
What is the Purpose of Conducting a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial takes new treatment protocols that work well in the laboratory and try them on patients. The purpose is to monitor how effective these treatments are on people and what, if any, side effects occur. Clinical trials are the final steps in the process of getting new treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
How Can I Learn More About Trials That Could Benefit Me?
You should first talk to your physician to see if clinical trials are right for you. You can also learn about clinical trials around the country at the National Cancer Institute or by searching for available trials on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Will I be Given a Placebo? (Sugar Pill)
Individuals in a control group during a clinical trial receive the standard of care treatment for their conditions. If a treatment shows exceptional promise in helping combat the disease, patients are often “crossed over” from the control group into the trial group so they receive all the benefits of the new protocol
Will I Feel Like a Test Subject?
You will be treated with dignity and respect throughout the entire clinical trial process. Specially trained nurses and research physicians will monitor your progress, and your doctor will only recommend a treatment that he or she believes is right for you.