Pros and Cons of Participating in a Clinical Trial
Why Participate in a Clinical Trial?
That’s a good question. Let’s try and help you figure that out.
The facts are, it is often better to do nothing (watchful waiting) than submit yourself to a regiment of unknown therapies with a long-shot chance at curing yourself.
Even when participating in a trial, you could also receive a placebo as treatment or substance being tested, or become part of a cross-over experiment. Before you research clinical trials for a good fit, you should probably know a little about what to look out for.
Fraudulent Clinical Trials – Who can you Trust?
Mechanisms like “Double Blind Studies” attempt to prevent fraudulent results by hiding treatments or substances being tested from participants and administrators. Learn more now about how double blind studies may not be as fool-proof as intended.
Who Benefits From Clinical Trials?
Financially, the pharmaceutical companies get everything and you get gas money.
The question is, do you want to participate in the advancement of clinical research? That may seem like an obvious yes, but do you want to aid and abet a company that will likely charge exorbitant prices for a product produced on the backs of you and others? Will large corporations benefit from your participation, or will people in need of real help? Who will have access to these drugs?
It is the intent of this site to dive deeper into the murky waters of the Pharmaceutical industry.
I would suggest if you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, that you compare trials wisely – investigate not only the spirit of the study but the background of the company and medical institutions participating. Are they being the good citizen like they are asking you to be in participating in a study?
Why Can Large Pharmaceutical Companies Profit From Clinical Trials and Not You?
Why is it that large Pharmaceutical’s can profit from clinical trials research, and sick dying people do not?
If you feel you or a family member are interested in participating in a clinical trial, then please read on and let us help you navigate how to understand and compare trials.
If it means anything to you, many of the larger Pharmaceutical Corporations are moving to India and other third world countries, not just to conduct clinical trials, but also to develop drugs for these increasingly more profitable sectors. We now have competition for our volunteerism! These global corporations have one reason to exist, and that is to make a profit on pharmaceutical sales.
Video Highlight: Doctor meets Clinical Trials Head-On with Sick Family Member?
For a deeper understanding of a physicians perspective on clinical trials, watch a video of a doctor who meets head-on with the issue when his aunt faces the decision to participate in clinical trials versus standard treatment.
Clinical Trial Basics – The Three Phases
OK, lets start with the basics. Clinical trials are broken into three basic phases:
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