Breast Cancer Awareness month - Day 23
Day 23. What are the types of clinical trials and what's the advantage to participating?
Phase 1 and 2 trials involve a relatively small sample size of people (sometimes less than 100) and determine dosage, safety and effectiveness of the new drug. If results are favorable, a phase 3 study is launched which is on a large scale, involving multiple sites across the country (and sometimes worldwide). It compares the current standard of care to the new treatment. While there are always risks and benefits, participation, especially in a phase 3 study, can give someone access to the latest promising drug, long before it comes to market.
I've not yet reached the point in my illness where I'm ready to gamble. To me, the trials seem just that, a gamble. I'm grateful for the people that do participate and help get new drugs to patients. The drug I just started (Ibrance) received FDA approval in February 2015. It's promising when combined with an aromatase inhibitor (in my case, Femara), with an average effectiveness of 22 months. (Aromatase inhibitors alone average about 10 months.) Someone had to test the drug. I appreciate that.
Phase 1 and 2 trials involve a relatively small sample size of people (sometimes less than 100) and determine dosage, safety and effectiveness of the new drug. If results are favorable, a phase 3 study is launched which is on a large scale, involving multiple sites across the country (and sometimes worldwide). It compares the current standard of care to the new treatment. While there are always risks and benefits, participation, especially in a phase 3 study, can give someone access to the latest promising drug, long before it comes to market.
I've not yet reached the point in my illness where I'm ready to gamble. To me, the trials seem just that, a gamble. I'm grateful for the people that do participate and help get new drugs to patients. The drug I just started (Ibrance) received FDA approval in February 2015. It's promising when combined with an aromatase inhibitor (in my case, Femara), with an average effectiveness of 22 months. (Aromatase inhibitors alone average about 10 months.) Someone had to test the drug. I appreciate that.
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