Improving Cancer Clinical Trial Participation and Eligibility Criteria - Julia Beaver, MD, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

[AussieNeil]

Cancer Network: How big of a problem is accrual of participants in clinical cancer treatment trials?

Dr. Beaver: Cancer trials are known to have very low accrual rates; it has been estimated that fewer than 3% of patients with cancer participate in a clinical trial. Reasons for low clinical trial accrual rates stem from patient-level, physician-level, institutional-level, and protocol-level barriers.

Full interview: cancernetwork.com/asco-stre...

Neil

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

Interesting, but concerning. The interview brought up for me the reality of aging and comorbidities---coupled with the trials excluding the very age group most likely to have comorbidities, AND, the fact that some of the drugs developed trigger the very problems that aging brings on. A conundrum to be sure.