A New York Times article said that in the war on cancer, one of the biggest hurdles involves finding cancer patients willing to participate in clinical trials, and the lack of volunteers is actually "hobbling" the fight against cancer.
But what you may not know is that we are all – each and every one of us – directly affected by these trials at some point in our lives. Prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as recommendations for diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, are all made available to us by clinical research trials.
Yet, regardless of the vast number of benefits these trials bring to us, many people are hesitant to participate. Without study volunteers, clinical trials cannot be conducted, and ultimately, public health advances cannot be realized. An alarmingly low 4 to 6 percent of eligible patients participate in clinical trials annually in the United States.
"Carefully conducted clinical trials are the safest and fastest way to find treatments that work for various tumor types," according to Dr. Laura Beaty, a hematologist/oncologist at Scott & White Healthcare – Round Rock. "These trials are conducted according to a protocol describing what types of patients may enter the study, schedules of tests and procedures, drugs, dosages and length of study, as well as the outcomes that will be measured."
There are many different kinds of clinical trials, including:
• Trials that test new treatments, new combinations of drugs, new approaches to surgery and new devices.
• Prevention trials, which look for better ways to prevent disease in people who have never had the disease or to prevent a disease from returning. These approaches may include medicines, vitamins, vaccines, minerals or lifestyle changes.
• Diagnostic trials, which are conducted to find better tests or procedures for diagnosing a particular disease or condition.
• Screening trials, which test the best way to detect certain diseases or health conditions.
• Quality of life trials, which explore and measure ways to improve comfort and the quality of life for individuals with a chronic illness.
People participate in clinical research trials for different reasons. Some people participate because they either have exhausted standard approved treatment options that did not work for them, or were unable to tolerate certain side effects. Clinical trials may provide other options when standard therapies fail. Others participate in trials because they want to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge.
There are many processes and safeguards to make sure that clinical trials have limited or minimal risk to those taking part in them. Institutional Review Boards are tasked with evaluating potential risks associated with clinical trials before the first subjects are enrolled. Before entering into a clinical trial, you should thoroughly review consent forms and information provided about the trial and ask the research study staff questions to assure you understand all aspects of the research program.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) work to protect participants in clinical trials and to ensure that people have reliable information as they decide whether to join a clinical trial, as well as assure that the design and methods of the trial are appropriate. The federal government has regulations and guidelines for clinical research to protect participants from unreasonable risks. All clinical trials are monitored on a regular basis, and ongoing reporting to all agencies involved is required.
To find out more about clinical trials being conducted across the country, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov. Managed by the National Library of Medicine, this interactive online database provides information about both federally and privately supported clinical research in human volunteers.
Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock has more than 15 ongoing clinical trials in a variety of medical specialties. For more information, call 512-218-6374. For a complete list of all Scott & White Healthcare clinical trials, visit www.sw.org.
