Despite the importance of clinical trials to the development of lifesaving medications, the majority of Americans are unlikely to enroll in a clinical trial. According to a survey of more than 1,500 consumers and nearly 600 physicians, only 35 percent of Americans indicated they were "likely" to enroll in a clinical trial.
The survey, conducted on behalf of New York-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, found that less than half — 40 percent — of Americans have a positive impression of clinical trials.
Consumer respondents cite several key concerns that pose as barriers to potential participation in a clinical trial.
1. Worry over side effects/safety — 55 percent
2. Uncertainty about insurance and out-of-pocket costs — 50 percent
3. Inconvenience of trial locations — 48 percent
4. Concerns about getting a placebo — 46 percent
5. Skeptical of a treatment that is not yet proven to work — 35 percent
6. Worries over feeling like "guinea pigs" — 34 percent
However, it seems education makes a measurable and immediate difference in people's perceptions of clinical trials. After reading a brief statement about clinical trials, the number of respondents who had a positive impression of these studies jumped from 40 percent to 60 percent.
"While concerns regarding clinical trials are understandable, it is critical that the cancer community address common myths and misunderstandings around issues like effectiveness, safety, use of placebo and at which point in treatment a trial should be considered," said Paul Sabbatini, MD, deputy physician-in-chief for clinical research at MSK. "For example, the vast majority of clinical trials do not involve a placebo."
Most consumers (72 percent) see no difference in care between hospitals that offer clinical trials and those that do not. However, when considering a hospital for cancer care, 74 percent said it is important that a wide variety of clinical trials are offered.
The survey also found clinical trials are viewed as a last resort among many physicians. Of the 600 physicians polled across the country, 56 percent said they considered clinical trials late in treatment, with 28 percent saying they consider them "as a treatment of last resort," even though many are available to patients during the earliest phases of treatment.