Clinical Trials: Yes or No?

Clinical trials are research studies that play a critical role in the advancement of clinical and medical knowledge about disease. Data gathered throughout a trial provides valuable insight into how to detect, prevent or treat an illness.

Depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend that you consider participating in a clinical trial. It is important to know that a clinical trial protocol is different from the medical care you receive when you see the doctor. At a doctor’s office, the goal is to diagnose and treat the disease with established therapies. By contrast, a clinical study uses new therapies, current treatments in an innovative way, or new surgical procedures to widen medical understanding of the disease and treatment. Prior to activating a study, it is mandatory that an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval be obtained. The IRB weighs the risks and benefits of a study to ensure that all human subject research is conducted in accordance with all federal, institutional, and ethical guidelines.

The decision to participate in a clinical trial is a complex one. Some trials involve healthy volunteers while others recruit patients with a particular illness. Some patients may choose to try a new therapy over their current options while others volunteer to provide medical information even though they themselves may not receive direct benefit. The National Institutes of Health has compiled a comprehensive resource of considerations about enrolling in a clinical trial.

At the Pacific Brain Tumor Center, we have a number of upcoming and ongoing trials for patients with various neurological conditions. To enroll in a trial, patients must meet inclusion/exclusion criteria, comply with follow up appointments, report any side effects and report all medications taken at home in addition to the investigative agent.

Patients who are interested in joining a clinical trial in their geographical area can search on www.clinicaltrials.gov to find active recruiting studies that pertain to their disease.