What is a clinical trial?

  • Overview: Clinical trials are research studies designed to test new methods for detecting, preventing, managing, and treating cancer.
  • Purpose: Clinical trials help doctors assess the safety, effectiveness, and potential benefits of new treatments compared to existing ones.
  • Importance: Clinical trials are key to advancing cancer care, but some people are unaware or hesitant to participate or maybe have fears or negative beliefs grounded in past realities.
  • Ethical Oversight: Federal regulations, however, ensure clinical trials are conducted ethically. There are strict guidelines surrounding clinical trials and extensive lab testing (often several years) is completed before use in humans.
  • Contribution to Cancer Care: Participating in clinical trials helps expand scientific knowledge and improve future cancer treatments; many current treatments used today are the result of past clinical trials, making them an essential part of the ongoing fight against cancer.