For Workampers with no health insurance or with policies with high deductibles, this may seem like a godsend. However, according to an AARP article (Bulletin, June 2003), there are risks. Sometimes the researcher has a financial interest in the company developing the treatment. Other studies are not well-run and patient deaths are not uncommon. On the other hand, some patients are treated with a new drug that makes a big difference or saves their life.

Is a clinical trial right for me?

Your physician is a good place to start. You can discuss conventional treatments and ways to lower the costs. If money is still an issue or regular treatments aren’t working, you may want to consider participating in a clinical trial.

Center Watch, a publishing company that focuses on the clinical trials industry, offers a brochure, Volunteering for a Clinical Trial, for $2.25 plus shipping to assist patients and their families in making a decision about participating.

Locating clinical trials

To find and investigate individual clinical trials, a number of websites can help:

• Center Watch’s website lists clinical trials by specialty and also has a list of international ones. www.centerwatch.com
• The National Institutes of Health website lists more than 7,600 government and private studies. You can search by disease, location, condition or sponsor. www.clinicaltrials.gov
• The American Cancer Society has a page about clinical trials with information and lists cancer trials. www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials

Other websites may offer to match a patient to a clinical trial. Bear in mind that some receive fees from pharmaceutical companies so may not offer a comprehensive list of available trials.

Evaluating a clinical trial

If you are evaluating participating in a particular clinical trial, download the free Clinical Trial Patient Worksheet from the American Cancer Society. Questions to ask are suggested. For example, can you stay on the treatment after the study is complete? If so, who will pay for it? If something goes wrong during or afer the trial and you need extra medical care, will it be provided and who will pay?

Medical treatment is often prohibitive. A clinical trial may be a way to receive that treatment. However you owe it to yourself to thoroughly research it and make an informed decision.