As a mesothelioma patient, participating in a mesothelioma treatment clinical trial seems like a good course of action to take. You will be helping medical research advance a new experimental mesothelioma treatment that one day could help save the lives of many mesothelioma patients.
Also because treatment options are limited at this time, a mesothelioma treatment clinical trial offers hope and a way to access a new state-of-the-art treatment. That’s why we regularly monitor the federal government’s clinical trials website and present to you new mesothelioma treatment clinical trials recruiting volunteers.
But there are many factors to consider. A new article posted on the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation’s website advises including your doctor and your family in on your decision-making process.
“A clinical trial shouldn’t be entered into lightly,” the article concludes. “There are certain questions you need to ask in order to make an informed decision. This will not only help you select the mesothelioma treatment option that is right for you, it will also help you prepare and make arrangements.”
To this we would like to add this is why we always include the names, phone numbers and email addresses of the contact people for each clinical trial opportunity we present to you. Please use that information to ask the following questions suggested by the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation if you are considering becoming part of a mesothelioma treatment clinical trial. But first please read through the other information we provide; you may find the answers to some of the questions there. We strive to present all the basic information about each clinical trial in a consistent easy-to-understand format to help you decide whether a particular clinical trial is one you want to offer yourself to as a participant.
Questions to ask include:
- What is the purpose of the trial?
- What tests and treatments will be used?
- What is the track record, if any, of the experimental treatment?
- What are the benefits, risks and side-effects in contrast to other treatment choices?
- What steps will be taken to monitor safety and who will be responsible for actions in the event of a problem?
- How long will the trial take and how long will I need to participate?
- Can I opt out of the trial and under what conditions?
- Who will conduct the trial and what are their credentials?
- What portion of the trial is subsidized and by whom?
- What drugs will be used during the clinical trial? Are these covered by the study?
- What portion of my treatment will my insurance cover and how much will I be responsible for?