Did you know that every medical therapy we have to treat cancer was once a clinical trial? Treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical techniques and devices exist because of clinical trials.
There are four phases of clinical trials.
- Phase 1 – This is generally the first time a drug is being tested in humans and when we answer the question “Is it safe?”
- Phase 2 – This is when we test the effectiveness of a treatment and answer the question “How well does it work?”
- Phase 3 – This is when we compare a new treatment with the current standard of care and answer the question “Is it better?”
- Phase 4 – This is when we gather more information, examine long-term side effects, and answer the question “Did we miss anything?”
To run a clinical trial and make medical breakthroughs, researchers need human volunteers.
Have you thought about enrolling to be on a clinical trial, but aren’t sure what that really means?
Cedars-Sinai is breaking down commonly asked questions so you can feel confident considering a clinical trial.
“It’s a common misconception that you have to be out of options to join a trial.”
Will I be a “guinea pig”?
No. Clinical trials are essentially another treatment option for patients to consider, and in many cases, patients are actually monitored more closely than they would be when receiving standard treatment.
We monitor and note how patients are responding to and tolerating the treatment and check in with them regularly for safety evaluations so we can ensure it is in the patient’s best interest to remain on a study.
In addition, as safety is our highest priority, we are required to uphold both local ethics board policies and federal regulations to ensure research volunteers are treated appropriately.
Does participating in a clinical trial mean I’m really sick?
The short answer is no. Clinical trials can be for people who have not seen improvements from
