If there is an available clinical trial that your doctor feels may be a good option for you, you may be approached by one of our staff members at one of your appointments to see if you would be interested in participating. You will be provided with an informed consent form outlining all of the details about the clinical trial, which will be thoroughly explained to you by the research team. Your participation is voluntary and our goal is to ensure you have all of the information you need to make the best informed decision about your care. Each study has specific eligibility criteria which patients must meet in order to participate. If you are eligible, you may be enrolled through a process called randomization. Like a flip of a coin, the treatment assignment is selected randomly, to help compare the investigational treatment to the current approved treatment. Sometimes a placebo, often called a “sugar pill,” is used if there is no current approved treatment with which to compare the investigational treatment.
It is important to know that if at any time during the study you decide you would like to withdraw, you can do so without penalty.