What are the next steps after being accepted into a clinical trial?

Acceptance into a clinical trial begins with the consent process.  Risks and potential benefits, as well as other options are explained by your physician or research nurse and also presented to you in writing in the Consent Form – typically a lengthy document.  Once you have been fully informed and have consented to the treatment, the next step is to complete the pre-treatment evaluation.  This includes a visit with your doctor or nurse, blood tests, scans to determine the extent and location of your cancer, and potentially other tests mandated by the study.  At this stage, it is still possible to be “uninvited” from the study.  This happens if a test result shows that you don’t meet all the criteria to safely participate.  Once the pre-treatment evaluation is complete, the study treatment begins. 

For more questions and answers about clinical trials, visit the Talk about Health website.
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(c) 2012 Tom Beer and Larry Axmaker