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Finding a Clinical Trial
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Unfortunately, no single resource lists every clinical trial. The process may involve searching websites, calling pharmaceutical companies, or asking your doctor or local cancer center for information.
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Order a ReprintBegin with your oncologist‚ who should not only be able to tell you if something is available locally‚ but can also give you resources on what is available in other parts of the country. Although it may be time-consuming to search for clinical trials at each location, you will probably want to start with facilities closest to home. If you are looking for a particular drug, contacting pharmaceutical companies directly is often the best source of information, but the trial may be concentrated in one location.
Fewer trial locations will be available for drugs in early-phase testing, so you may have better luck with late-phase trials, which are conducted in multiple sites across the country. If you have an extremely rare cancer, recurrent disease, or are not responding to standard treatment, you might find only a few institutions where a new approach to your disease is in clinical trials.
Each trial has its own eligibility criteria and often has restrictions based on the type and stage of cancer‚ age‚ previous treatment received, and current health status. It is best to have your medical history accessible when searching for clinical trials because eligibility requirements may disqualify you from participating in certain trials. Once you have found a number of trials you may qualify for, discuss them with your doctor and contact the study coordinators.
Online services and your doctor can provide information on how to participate in a clinical trial. Online search engines can identify trials relevant to your medical needs that are currently enrolling patients. Search for trials at www.curetoday.com/trialcheck.
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