How to Join Spinal Tumor Clinical Trials

The most advanced treatments of spinal tumors are the product of rigorous research, often conducted in the form of clinical trials. During such studies, research participants consent to experimental drugs and/or procedures. Researchers, pharmaceutical companies and health institutions depend a great deal on clinical trials to advance the medical field. Participants in such clinical trials for spinal tumors constitute a significant contribution to the advancement of spinal tumor care.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Join Spinal Tumor Clinical Trials

1. Contact a local university or research institution for clinical trials that are recruiting participants. Local clinical trials can be found at Clinical Connection (see Resources below).

2. Understand what is being asked of research participants before participation in a clinical trial. This process is called informed consent.

3. Find out what kinds of benefits or compensation (e.g., free treatment or monetary payment) are being awarded to clinical trial participants.

4. Ask questions of the researcher to minimize confusion or uncertainty regarding any aspect of the clinical trial.

5. Know the complications or side effects of participation before you join a tumor clinical trial.

6. Realize that participants have the right to discontinue their participation before, during or after the clinical trial.

7. Ask to be given copies of any forms that are signed or any instructions explaining the clinical trial procedures.

Tips & Warnings

• A quick search on the Internet will yield many websites with lists of clinical trials to join, such as the one at Clinical Trials (see Resources below).
• Clinical trials have a number of different functions. Examples are preventing, treating and diagnosing disease.
• An important objective of a clinical trial is to see whether a treatment or procedure has side effects, is safe and works better than current treatments or drugs.
• Clinical trials usually take place in three phases, all of which represent a stage in the testing of a drug or procedure.
• Know that a clinical trial is very safe. The entire project has to undergo a review by an ethics committee before it can be conducted.
• Individuals considering participating in clinical trials need to know their rights and responsibilities, as well as the benefits and complications associated with their participation.
• Realize that the results of a clinical trial may take several years to be revealed.
• There are alternatives to clinical trial participation, such as taking drugs that already have FDA approval.

Resources

• Clinical Connection for local listings of clinical trials
• List of clinical trials at Clinical Trials.gov

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