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Will
there be risks?
Yes, there are risks involved in
being in a clinical trial. By the
same token, risks are a part of
any medical test, drug, or procedure.
A more important question is whether
the risks are outweighed by the
possible benefits. People with cancer
are often willing to accept a certain
amount of risk for a chance to be
helped, but it is always important
to have a realistic idea about the
actual chance of being helped. |
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Will
I be a "guinea pig"?
There's no denying that the ultimate
purpose of a clinical trial is to
answer a medical question. People
who take part in clinical trials
are research subjects and may be
required to do certain things or
have certain tests done to stay
in the study. But this does not
mean that you will not receive excellent,
compassionate care. In fact, most
people enrolled in clinical trials
appreciate the extra attention they
receive from their health care team.
In a recent Center Watch survey,
more than 1,000 study participants
were asked if they would enter a
clinical trial again. Overall, 77%
responded "definitely,"
20% answered "maybe,"
and only 3% said "no". |
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Will
I get a placebo?
The vast majority of cancer clinical
trials do not involve a placebo
alone. It would be unethical to
give someone an inactive medicine
if it would deny him or her the
chance to get one that has already
been shown to work. |
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Will
my information be kept confidential?
To
the extent that is possible, all
of your personal and medical information
is kept confidential in your medical
records. Of course, your health
care team has access to this information,
just as they would outside of a
clinical trial. Some members of
the research team may also look
at your records, because the study
sponsor needs your medical information
when submitting data to the FDA
while trying to get the treatment
approved.
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I
think I'm eligible, now what?
Once
you've found a study or studies
that you think you're eligible for,
deciding if it's the right one for
you can still be tricky. And there
may not be one best study for you.
Again, learning as much as you can
is key. A good first step will be
to talk with someone connected to
the study. This could be the Principal
Investigation- the doctor in charge
of the study or a research coordinator.
Research coordinators are usually
nurses. Their job is to check to
see if people meet eligibility criteria
before entering a study. They also
make sure that the study protocol
is followed for each patient. Often
they serve as a link between study
patients and their doctors. Both
principal Investigators and research
coordinators should be able to answer
any questions you have about the
study. |
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