skepticism about unproven treatments. A similar number said a clinical trial would make them feel like a guinea pig.
But after reading information about clinical trials, the number of respondents with a positive impression of these trials rose from 40 percent to 60 percent.
“While concerns regarding clinical trials are understandable, it is critical that the cancer community address common myths and misunderstandings around issues like effectiveness, safety, use of placebo, and at which point in treatment a trial should be considered. For example, the vast majority of clinical trials do not involve a placebo,” said Dr. Paul Sabbatini, deputy physician-in-chief for clinical research at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
The review also included a survey of nearly 600 doctors who have discussed clinical trials with patients. Many clinical trials are available to patients in the earliest phases of treatment, but 56 percent of doctors said they considered clinical trials for patients only late in treatment. Twenty-eight percent said they considered clinical trials “a treatment of last resort.”
Only 32 percent of the doctors said they discuss clinical trials with their patients at the beginning of treatment.
“Failing to consider clinical trials at every stage of cancer diagnosis and treatment can