Where to Find Clinical Trials
Clinical trials exist for nearly all disease and afflictions but many are unavailable to patients because of certain restrictions of their health or other treatments they are engaged with. For patients of cancer, hundreds of different trials will likely exist. For patients of difficult cancers, such as mesothelioma, these trials can be a good way to gain access to treatments that otherwise may be five to ten years away from FDA approval. For many patients, these trials may be their only chance to participate in life-saving therapies unavailable to the general population. Most patients of mesothelioma will welcome any way in which they can make their lives more manageable and extend the time they can share with family and friends.
However clinical trials are not for all patients, particularly those whose health has deteriorated to the point where a certain trial is likely to cause more harm than good. A brief understanding of different types of trials may allow patients to decide which, in any, trials are most appropriate for their particular affliction.
- Phase 1 clinical trials are generally those in which the sample group is quite small (20-30 patients). Typically, very little is known about the drug in this phase. Tests will determine the safety of the drug, side effects, and appropriate dosages, with less emphasis on the clinical aspect.
- A phase II trial will have considerably more patients (200-300). While safety is continually monitored, the safety of the drug in this phase is generally established and emphasis is put upon the effectiveness of the drug against certain diseases or groups of diseases.
- Phase III clinical trials are territory reached by few drugs, and entering into a phase III trial is a good indicator that the treatment is well on its way to approval. At this point, with the safety and efficacy of the drug already established, it will be measured against existing treatments to ensure that it is a viable option for patients of the particular disease.
As mentioned above, patients should consult their physician before participating in any new treatments, particularly clinical trials. These trials represent the frontlines of discovery and technologies and should be welcomed if your physician believes it can help the patient live longer and healthier.
