Helping you understand the language of clinical trials

Clinical trials are being spoken about more than ever before. Yet that can be understandably confusing, often leaving people with many questions. What are the phases? What happens at each stage? What is the difference between a trial and a study? Are there different types of each or are they all the same?

Living with long COVID: how clinical trials can shine a light on new treatments

The majority of people who contract COVID-19 go on to make a full recovery typically within a matter of a days. However, some people suffer with longer-term symptoms, with a condition that has become known as ‘long COVID’. It’s still poorly understood, and researchers are using clinical trials to learn more about the condition.

Participating in a clinical trial might be exactly what you need. Here’s where to start.

Hundreds of clinical trials are run across the US every year. These trials are crucial to new treatment and personalized medicine development, gathering key information about safety and treatment effectiveness for a wide range of diseases and health conditions. All medical treatments, from the familiar aspirin to chemotherapy drugs, must go through clinical trials. And increasingly, patients are actively considering participating in trials as part of their treatment. Here’s why:

A day in the life of a clinical trial patient: Part one

Disclaimer: All characters and other entities appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons or other real-life entities is purely coincidental.

How to discuss your diagnosis with loved ones

Having a recent diagnosis can be hard on many levels. There can be lots of information to take in and decisions to make about your treatment. You may feel confused by what’s happening or fearful and uncertain about the future.

What is informed consent in clinical trials?

If you’re considering different treatment options available to you, chances are you may be considering a clinical trial. Clinical trials can provide you with an alternative treatment pathway, potentially giving you access to investigational drugs you wouldn’t normally be able to receive.

Testicular cancer: Risks, signs, symptoms and treatment

Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer in young adult men – yet it’s also one of the most curable. While new cases of testicular cancer have doubled in the past 40 years, deaths from the disease have decreased as treatments have improved.

Skin cancer: What to look for and how to prevent it

Skin cancers are by far the most common types of cancer, accounting for one in three diagnosed globally. While some, such as non-melanoma skin cancers (including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) are usually non-lethal, others, such as melanomas, can be more serious. Cases of both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers have been increasing over the past few decades, with the growth in melanomas of particular concern. By 2040, it’s estimated that nearly half a million cases of melanoma will be diagnosed every year, up by 62% from 2018.

Why do we need clinical trials?

Clinical trials are studies that determine whether a drug or device is effective at helping treat medical conditions. Every treatment available today will have undergone testing in clinical trials first. This is because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (or FDA), and similar agencies in other countries, need to know it works and is safe before it can be prescribed or distributed for general use.

A day in the life of a clinical trial patient: Part two

Signing up a clinical trial can feel quite daunting. You may have questions about what the trial process is like, or want to know how other participants have gotten on first-hand. You’re not alone. We’ve put together a blog series to follow the “diary” of Mark Blyth, a fictional patient volunteer, to help give you a sense of what it can be like to participate in a clinical trial; this blog is the second installment.