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Clinical Trial
Clinical trials are medical research studies on people which are sponsored by one or more organizations or individuals. A clinical trial helps researchers gather information on the effectiveness of an experimental treatment. Clinical trials are the next step after researchers test promising treatments or medical procedures in the lab and in animal studies (1).
Many research studies seek participants with illnesses or medical conditions, while some require healthy participants. Individuals with cancer are especially in demand for clinical studies. However, fewer than 5% of adults with cancer participate in clinical research studies (2).
The clinical trial team typically includes doctors and nurses as well as social workers and other health care professionals. They check the health of the participant at the beginning of the trial, give specific instructions for participating in the trial, monitor the participant carefully during the trial, and stay in touch after the trial is completed (3).
A clinical trial may allow individuals with medical conditions to be exposed to new forms of treatment before they become available to the general public. However, because the treatment is still in the experimental stage, there may be a risk that the treatment is less effective or more harmful when compared to conventional treatments (3).
Every clinical trial must be overseen by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), whose responsibility it is to ensure that risks are as low as possible and that all ethical considerations are being observed. An IRB is an independent committee comprised of physicians, statisticians, community advocates, and others. In all clinical trials, the participant is allowed to leave the trial at any point at his or her own discretion (3).
- "Resource Information." From ClinicalTrials.gov, a website sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Health. Available: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/info/resources (Accessed July 12, 2007).
- "Cancer Clinical Trials: Participation by Underrepresented Population." From the Intercultural Cancer Councils' website. Available: http://iccnetwork.org/cancerfacts/cfs11.htm (Accessed July 12, 2007).
- "Introduction to Clinical Trials." From the National Cancer Institute website. Available: http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning (Accessed July 12, 2007).