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Pacific Heart Lung and Blood Institute - Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are a series of tests usually done using novel treatments not yet available as a standard form of therapy.

Typically, after a drug has been sufficiently tested in the laboratory for safety and effectiveness and before it can be used to treat a particular disease, it must pass through a series of tests known as clinical trials.

They are designed to collect information about adverse drug effects and allow certain patients to benefit from receiving otherwise unavailable treatments. If all other forms for available treatment have not worked for you, your doctor might consider recommending you for a clinical trial.

In order to participate in a clinical trial, participants must meet eligibility criteria. Each study has specific criteria and the patient must meet all the factors to be eligible. There are three different phases in a clinical trial.

Pacific Heart Lung and Blood Institute - Clinical Trials Phase IPhase I trials are directed toward finding the proper dose that should be administered and identify potential side effects. This phase is usually associated with high risk of side effects, because not much is known yet about treatment. This phase is offered to a small number of patients.

During Phase II trials, the treatment has been shown to have some type of anticancer activity and is used to treat a certain type of cancer. The goal is to see how well it works and to gather as much information about its effectiveness and safety.

In Phase III trials, the new treatment is compared with the current, standard regimen that has been proven effective for a certain type of cancer. This Phase is used to determine if the new treatment is better than or equal to the current treatment available.

You must sign written consent to be part of a trial, and you may decide to withdraw from the study at any time.

Ask as many questions as possible before choosing a clinical trial, be aware of any possible side effects, and know the specifics of the study—how long it will last, if you need to be hospitalized for treatment, and where the study will take place.

You may also need to check with your insurance company to determine whether they will cover the trial. You can learn more about clinical trials by communicating with your multidisciplinary team.

You may also visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ for more information.


CURRENT MESOTHELIOMA TRIALS

The following is a List of clinical trials that are currently recruiting in the Los Angeles area. Make sure to check http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ for up-to-date information and to find other trials.

If you have any general questions about clinical trials, please email us at info@phlbi.org.

Please make sure to mention the reference number next to the trials when you contact the individuals conducting the study.