Clinical trials

[GwenHP]

Periodically I’m put in situations where I can represent the patient’s voice. For those of you who have participated in clinical trials, what things would have made it easier for you to decide whether or not to participate? (Other than having a crystal ball tell you whether it would work for you or not). Were you given enough information about the trial in a formate that you could understand? Were the risks and benefits spelled out sufficiently? Did you end up incurring medical expenses you weren’t expecting? Any other comments that would improve our interest or ability to participate in clinical trials would be helpful.

While we can do our on research to find trials and there are clinical trial matching services, I wish more cancer centers had an advocate that would help identify trials that may be appropriate for us that are beyond the walls of their own institution..

[Christjesus7878]

Hi GwenHP I was on a clinical trial at the beginning of my chemo treatment. The day I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer my doctor told my about the clinical trial. I agreed to it without any hesitation. I felt like I was already going to have to take the worst drug in the world so this drug couldn't hurt an beside I will be helping other women who will be diagnosed in the future. I live in Grovetown Ga and I am about 20 minutes from Augusta Ga where the Georgia Cancer center is located. I was well informed. While I was under the clinical trial my medicine was free. The only thing I didn't like was I had to keep up with a diary of the times I took my medicine and did I eat or did I not eat with the medication I did this every day for about 2 years. The one thing that I looked at was the chemo drug that I was taking was because of other women who was part of a clinical trial.

[GwenHP in reply to Christjesus7878]

Thank you very much for replying!