What is a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial is a type of clinical research that follows a detailed treatment plan or protocol. In addition, the compilation of data gathered from the trial can go on to further science and benefit others.
How Clinical Trials Can Help
The main purpose of clinical trials is to study new treatments such as a new drug, new combinations of treatments or new treatment methods in order to receive government approval. By taking part in a clinical trial, participants have access to new drugs and treatments before they are widely available. Patients that are enrolled on clinical trials have typically completed all standard treatment options and enrolling in a study may offer new treatment alternatives to patients that have otherwise run out of choices.
Clinical Trial Eligibility
All clinical trials have specific eligibility criteria. The criteria are based on factors such as type of disease, age, medical history and current medical condition. Before entering into a clinical trial, you must meet the criteria for the study.
As with any cancer treatment, there may be some unpleasant or serious side effects and there are no guarantees that the treatment will be effective for the person participating. A research representative will discuss the risks and benefits with you and answer any questions you may have prior to you signing a consent form. You are free to discontinue the study at any time.
Phases of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are conducted in four different phases with each phase serving a specific purpose to researchers.
Phase I:
Assess the safety of a new drug. The phase is usually done with a small group of people (20 to 80) and evaluates how the body handles the drug, safe dosage ranges and side effects.
Phase II:
The drug or treatment is given to a larger group (100 to 300) to determine effectiveness and to continue to evaluate safety.
Phase III:
The drug has shown promise in the Phase II study and now hundreds or even thousands of people may receive a new drug or treatment and be followed for several years. This phase helps confirm the effectiveness of the drug, gauge side effects and gather information so the drug or treatment can be used safely.
Phase IV:
The drug or treatment has received Food and Drug Administration approval and is widely marketed. This allows researchers to gather additional safety information on an even larger group of people and gather data on a drug or treatment's long-term effectiveness and how it affects quality of life. The drug or treatment may also be evaluated for cost and against other similar drugs already on the market.
Paying for Clinical Trials
As you consider taking part in a clinical trial, you will face the issue of how to cover the costs of care. There are two types of costs associated with a clinical trial, research costs and standard care costs.
Research Study Costs
Research costs are those related to anything that is done solely for the clinical trial. Often costs to participate in the clinical trial are covered by the trial’s sponsor, so any study related procedure is covered in full cost.It does not fall on you.
Examples include:
- The study drug
- Lab tests performed purely for research purposes
- Additional x-rays and imaging tests performed solely for the trial
When you take part in a trial, you may have extra doctor visits that you would not have with standard treatment. During these visits your doctor carefully watches for side effects and your safety in the study. Feel free to discuss these issues with our Precise Research team prior to signing your consent form.