What is a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are often the final step in answering a question similar to “Can treatment “X” help a patient with a specific diagnosis?” Clinical trials often test new treatments which have the potential to become the standard treatments of the future. Clinical trials are therefore essential in the process of developing better ways to prevent, diagnose or treat cancer. https://clinicaltrials.gov/

Clinical trials are used in all stages of development of new therapies. Some trials test drugs that have already proven to be effective and safe. Often these late phase trials compare the new treatment with the existing standard treatment (standard-of-care) to determine which is better. Other trials may test a new treatment to determine whether it is safe or effective. Patients may enroll onto an early phase clinical trial when all conventional therapies have been exhausted. In that case, the trial participant may or may not receive any direct benefit from the study. Those who may not receive any personal benefit, participate to help explore better treatment options for others in the future. Please refer to Phases of Clinical Trials

One of the challenges that our research staff faces is a general lack of understanding on the patient’s part of how clinical trials work. The fear of the unknown often prevents a patient from enrolling on a clinical trial.