Most clinical trials DO NOT result in a successful drug or treatment being approved by the FDA. Most clinical trials DO NOT provide a benefit for most participants. So why should anybody participate in a clinical trial?
I have participated in several clinical trials. None of them cured me or slowed the progression of my cancer. None of them did any harm, either (so far). I would participate in future clinical trials if they were relevant to my cancer, if I trusted the researchers, and I didn't have to travel too far too often.
Clinical Trials are good at finding out what DOES NOT work. That is an important step. It allows researchers to try something else, go a new direction, or get back to the laboratory and start over.
I personally hope that there are many more cancer clinical trials in the future. If only one in ten trials is successful, then we need many tens of trials. Every once in a while there is a major breakthrough usually for one type of one cancer. Mine might be next!
Bottom Line
Clinical Trials thrive on numbers. Volunteering to participate helps you, me, everyone else with cancer, and all those who do not yet have cancer. Many trials never get started because not enough of us participate. One of them could have been the breakthrough that would help me--or maybe you.
Larry Axmaker--12 year cancer survivor
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To put a smile on your face see Larry's latest cartoon.
To learn more about clinical trials, take a look at our book.
(c) 2012 Tom Beer and Larry Axmaker