Clinical Trials: What to Know

ST. LOUIS (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- If you're diagnosed with a serious illness, you want to get the best medical care available. Sometimes, that means enrolling in a clinical trial. But there are things you need to know before signing up.

Jill Bokern will try just about anything, whether it's playing a new game with her kids or participating in clinical research. "I've done clinical trials in bone density ... with dental ... in psychiatry," she says.

But it was a breast cancer clinical trial that may have saved Bokern's life. The trial compared digital and standard mammograms. The digital detected a tumor in her breast.

"Because I participated in what I thought was going to help other women, basically, I helped myself," she says.

Receiving a new test or therapy is one benefit of being in a clinical trial. You're also closely monitored, and radiologist Dione Farria, M.D., says you could help others down the road.

"Medicine just could not go forward without people participating in these studies," Dr. Farria, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, tells Ivanhoe.

But you may not receive the new treatment just because you're in the study. Dr. Farria says nowadays it's very uncommon for patients to receive placebos in clinical trials. Most of the time, you'll be sure to at least receive standard treatment. The sponsor of the trial will usually cover the cost of your care, but make sure you check with your insurance company to see if they'll pay for any extra tests. You also may be exposed to safety risks.

Washington University School of Medicine Recruitment Director Sally Anderson says you should ask:

What am I being asked to do?
What is the purpose of the study?
What are the risks involved in this study?
Is it OK to leave the study at any time?
Will the study benefit me personally?
Who's sponsoring the trial?

Dr. Farria says, "If someone offers you a clinical trial, but they can't answer all your questions to the level that you're comfortable, then you should not be in that trial."

But if your questions are answered, a clinical trial might just save your life!

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Sally Anderson
Director of Volunteer for Health/Center for Clinical Studies
Washington University
660 S. Euclid Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 747-3746
sallyanderson@wustl.edu