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6 clinical trial myths busted
clinical trials can provide access to urgently needed lifesaving therapies and lead to better outcomes for current and future patients.
may 20 2024
5 minute read
depending on your health-care provider’s experience or resources, they might be able to provide more information about clinical trials or direct you to a resource or person who can.
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the goal of a clinical trial is to improve medical treatments and peoples’ health and well-being. clinical trials can provide access to urgently needed lifesaving therapies and lead to better outcomes for current and future patients. below are some common misconceptions patients and the public have about clinical trials, and the truth behind them.
1. clinical trials are dangerous
it is a common misconception that clinical trials are dangerous. in reality, safety is at the core of how clinical trials are designed and conducted. there are strict guidelines in place that ensure that all participants of a clinical trial are treated honestly and ethically.
early phase clinical trials are designed specifically to understand the safety of the treatment in people. the treatment has often been studied for many years in a laboratory before clinical trials start in people, so there may be a lot of data about the treatment as well (though not about its effect in people).
there are some things that you should look for in helping to determine if a clinical trial is a reputable and safe:
- make sure the trial application was reviewed by a regulatory agency. examples of regulatory agencies are health canada and the us food and drug administration. health canada’s role is to ensure people in canada have access to safe and effective drugs and health products, and it reviews and approves clinical trial applications for trials that take place in canada. to find out if the trial application was reviewed, you can ask the clinical trial team, or, for those in canada, you can look on the health canada website.
- you should ensure that the clinical trial was reviewed and approved by a research ethics board (also called “reb” for short). clinical trials must undergo research ethics review from an reb, whose members look at the clinical trial from the perspective of protecting the rights and well-being of people who participate in research.
2. clinical trials are only for very sick patients with no other treatment options
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clinical trials should not be viewed as a last-ditch effort only for very sick people. clinical trials evaluate many different types of health interventions and outcomes. reasons people look for a clinical trial may include when they are living with a condition or a disease; when they have a loved one such as a family member or good friend who lives with a condition or a disease; and when they’re simply interested in research. healthy participants may also be able to volunteer to be in some types of clinical trials, too.
3. you cannot change your mind once you sign up for a clinical trial
you can choose to end your participation in a clinical trial at any time without having to provide a reason. if you do withdraw from a trial, you may be asked questions about your experience in the trial, and to have laboratory tests and physical examinations considered necessary to safely stop your participation.
remember, participation in a clinical trial is always voluntary. if you are thinking about participating in a clinical trial it is important that you are provided with enough information to make an informed decision, an opportunity to ask questions and talk to others you may choose to (e.g., your family or friends) and take the time to make a decision that is right for you.
4. clinical trials only happen in hospitals
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clinical trials are done at many different places. some examples are hospitals, private companies, doctors’ offices, community clinics and dental offices.
5. participants don’t know the details of a trial or the treatments they might take
before you join a clinical trial, the purpose of the trial and the details of the treatment should be explained to you. this information may be provided to you in writing in an informed consent form before you begin a trial or communicated to you otherwise in a clear manner. if anything is not clear to you, you should ask questions until you have a good understanding of the purpose of the trial and the treatment.
6. my doctor will tell me if there is a clinical trial i should join
people often think the only way to learn about a clinical trial is from their doctor. however, you can find clinical trials in many ways.
some people talk to their health care providers about finding a clinical trial. health care providers may have different levels of knowledge and comfort talking about clinical trials. depending on your health care provider’s experience or resources, they might be able to provide more information for you or direct you to a resource or person who can.
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some health charities and patient organizations have information about specific clinical trials on their websites (usually under a clinical trials or research section) or have a phone number you can call to speak to someone to help you find a clinical trial.
hospitals, including both community and academic hospitals, carry out clinical trials and may be a source of information. some hospitals provide information directly on their website about local clinical trials. if you phone or email the hospital looking for more information, you may have to make more than one phone call or send more than one email to find the right person to help you.
some people use websites to help them find clinical trials. for example, clinical trial ontario’s clinical trial finder uses a well-known website called clinicaltrials.gov where many clinical trials from around the world are registered and detailed clinical trial information is provided. if you find a clinical trial you are interested in, contact information is provided on the site.
you may also hear ads about clinical trials on the radio, and see them on tv, in the newspaper, on public transportation, in a doctor’s office, or in a hospital. contact information is provided in these ads for people who are interested in learning more about these clinical trials.
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to learn more about what clinical trials are, how they are designed, how to find them and things to know when you’re in a clinical trial, visit check out clinical trials ontario’s resources.
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