Are people on clinical trials guinea pigs?
No. Patients on phase II or phase III clinical trials most often receive standard care treatments or newer but established as safe treatments. Such clinical trials are highly regulated and controlled.
Can I participate in a clinical trial without my consent?
No, informed consent is mandatory for clinical trial enrollment and participation.
Can I receive regular treatment while on a clinical trial?
A patient’s care is most times very similar whether on a clinical trial or not and is always supported medically.
Can I stop a clinical trial after I start?
Whether a patient is on a clinical trial or not, they always control their care. Patients have the right to stop any care, at any time, for any reason whether a patient is on a clinical trial or not.
Do clinical trials use sugar pills?
Almost never, though there are select situations in which there is no clearly defined standard of care for which no treatment has been proven to be effective. In this situation, participants could be randomized to a new treatment versus a placebo. Generally, phase III clinical trials randomize patients to a standard of care, newer treatment, or standard […]
Do doctors get paid more if I’m on a clinical trial?
No, in fact, it’s probably the opposite. Enrolling a patient in a clinical trial and providing care while on the clinical trial takes more time and resources than patients receiving standard treatment. This may decrease the amount of time a physician has to see other patients.
Do I have to share my information with the government while on a clinical trial?
Many clinical trials are designed and managed by the National Cancer Institue (NCI) in the United States. This is a government funded agency whose goal is to improve cancer care. Data from many clinical trials are collected and stored within the NCI or aligned agencies, however, it is typically de-identified such that patients are protected from […]
What information should I trust?
Information about cancer from the internet, the press, and your friends can be accurate, biased, incomplete, speculative, premature, irrelevant. Sorting out what’s helpful can be a real challenge. Science changes its mind when presented with enough contrary evidence. This is its main strength. Always demand evidence and be skeptical of any claim that can’t be […]
Will genetic testing impact my treatment?
Increasingly, it may. Women with BRCA (breast cancer gene mutations) for years have used this information in surgical decision making (removing both breasts or removing one breast or part of one breast). Very recently, genetic mutations now may alter medical decision-making for several cancers as there are now specific treatments for cancer that are directed […]
Why does pharmacy take so long?
With chemotherapy, there is no room for error. The pharmacy personnel must be 100% correct and accuracy takes time. Your chemotherapy must be germ free and prepared in a biological safety cabinet using sterile supplies and special techniques to keep it sterile. Your doctor needs to examine you and look at your lab values before […]
