Clinical trials offer a unique opportunity to patients and medical professionals alike, by testing new potential treatment options on qualified patients.
By Definition
“Clinical trials, also known as clinical studies, test potential treatments in human volunteers to see whether they should be approved for wider use in the general population. A treatment could include a drug, medical device, or biologic, such as a vaccine, blood product, or gene therapy. Potential treatments must be studied in laboratory animals first to determine potential toxicity before they can be tried in people. Treatments having acceptable safety profiles and showing the most promise are then moved into clinical trials.” — Food and Drug Administration, FDA.gov
If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, remember to review all the information about the trial with your doctor and caregiver. This will help you generate a list of questions and concerns, as well as answers.
To find a clinical trial, connect with the following organizations:
- National Institute of Health via: NIH Clinical Research Trials and You
- American Brain Tumor Association via TrialConnect, a service that links brain tumor patients with potential clinical trials: Brain Tumor Clinical Trials.
- Clinicaltrials.Gov is a registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world. Visit ClinicalTrials.gov for opportunities and information.
Compassionate Use via the FDA
When enrollment in a clinical trial is not possible (i.e., a patient is not eligible for any ongoing clinical trials, or there are no ongoing clinical trials), patients may be able to receive an investigational medical product, when appropriate, through expanded access of that product. Expanded access allows the use of an investigational medical product that has not yet received FDA approval, outside of the clinical trial setting.