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Most Americans Hesitant to Join Clinical Trials

by Reshma Anand on May 25 2016 5:34 PM

Most Americans Hesitant to Join Clinical Trials
The number of people who are willing to join for clinical trials is actually decreasing, making researchers worry about facing a crisis in cancer research and discovery.
Clinical trials are the most important part of drug development and also for various treatment research. Though all drugs are tested on mice or other animals first and then conducted on humans; many people are not willing to join in clinical trials.

A survey carried out by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center among 1,500 adults in the age group of 18-69 years found that just four in 10 Americans have a positive impression of clinical trials and only about one-third of Americans would be likely to enroll in one.

The causes of concern were side effects and efficacy of the experimental drug, insurance coverage, out-of-pocket costs, inconvenient trial locations and the fear of receiving a placebo instead of an active treatment drug.

“The findings are cause for concern in terms of cancer research because nearly every advance in cancer was first evaluated in a clinical trial. If this trend of low enrollment continues, we will face a crisis in cancer research and discovery. Further education is the key to participation and progress," said Dr. Jose Baselga, physician-in-chief and chief medical officer at the cancer center.

Source-Medindia


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