As you probably know by now there are many reasons for
conducting clinical trials—trying out new drugs, exploring new drug
combinations, testing drug safety, testing drug effectiveness, identifying and
managing side effects, and many more.
But for most participants in clinical trials the main reason
for volunteering is much simpler—the hope of longer and better survival. Cures
are rare, but if a particular new drug or treatment makes you feel better and
possibly live longer (and the ever-present side effects are tolerable) none of
the overall statistics, percentages, comparisons, or dosage debates matter very
much. Different treatments have different effects on different people. So what
works for you may not work as well for me. Having more available treatments
allows for individual differences.
Just having cancer already makes you a survivor. Surviving
better and longer is the personal gold standard—however that happens for you. With
the help of your medical team, support group, a good computer, and your own personal
motivation, look for trials that you strongly believe may provide a particular benefit
to you. The final decisions are always up to you.
The majority of trial participants report that they would
volunteer for another trial if it was relevant to their needs.
(c) 2012 Tom Beer and Larry Axmaker
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