Clinical trials
Clinical trials, explained
Clinical trials give patients access to tomorrow's treatments today. Here's how they work and how to ask your oncologist about them.
A clinical trial is a carefully designed research study that tests new treatments or new ways of using existing treatments. Many of today's standard cancer therapies became available through trials.
Common misconceptions
- "I'll get a placebo instead of real treatment." Cancer trials almost always compare a new treatment against the current standard of care — not against nothing.
- "Trials are a last resort." Many trials are open to patients at the time of diagnosis, not only after standard treatment fails.
- "My insurance won't cover it." Federal law requires most insurance plans to cover routine costs of approved clinical trials.
How to ask
Ask your oncologist directly: "Are there clinical trials I might qualify for — here or at another center?" Most academic medical centers, including our featured provider, run trials across the major cancer types.