Clinical Trial Objectives

Researchers conduct studies of new treatments to answer the following questions:

• Is the treatment likely to be helpful?
• Does this new type of treatment work?
• Does it work better than other treatments already available?
• What side effects does the treatment cause?
• Do the benefits outweigh the risks, including side effects?
• In which patients is the treatment most likely to be helpful?

However, there are some risks. No one involved in the study knows in advance whether the treatment will work or exactly what side effects will occur. That is what the study is designed to discover. While most side effects will disappear in time, some can be permanent or even life-threatening. Keep in mind, though, that even standard treatments have side effects. Depending on many factors, you may decide that a clinical trial may be beneficial in your case