Gene S Lysko
Medical
Writer
We
know that clinical trials are the cornerstone of new-drug marketing approvals.
But there’s more to it than that. For a considerable number of patients with
advanced cancer or rare disease, clinical trials represent a potential
lifesaver—or at least their chance for the highest currently available standard
of care—offering hope to patients who may not have another treatment option.
It’s
in these instances that a clinical trial may not only be considered as
first-line treatment, but in some cases, treatment guidelines specifically
recommend a clinical trial as a patient’s best option for potentially effective
therapy. When a clinical trial is recommended (whether by treatment guidelines
or by a patient’s doctor or nurse), it’s important for the patient to
understand and truly appreciate the possible benefits and risks of
participating.
It’s
here that education plays a key role. Education can help to:
- Dispel myths—“no one’s experimenting on me” and “I might only get a sugar pill”
- Empower patients by explaining in plain words the benefits and the potential risks
- Break down barriers to recruitment and retention
- Show patients that clinical trials help all of us (appeal to altruism)
Artcraft Health Clinical Trials (www.artcrafthealthed.com/clinical-trials/) optimizes the use of health education to create a unique path to meeting recruitment and retention goals, which increases the strength of your clinical trials. Visit our corporate Web site at http://www.artcrafthealthed.com/ to learn how we can help you.
