Will I get better care in a clinical trial?

There are many advantages to being involved in a clinical trial or other research study. Depending on the type of research, the benefits may include:

• knowing you have made a valuable contribution to helping others in the future
• joining programs or having medicines or other treatments that are not readily available outside of the study and may be better than the current standard treatment for that disease
• getting access to expensive drugs that your specialists recommend but that are not currently subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
• seeing your treatment team, including specialists, more often
• taking an active role in your health care
• learning new ways to improve your lifestyle
• improving or maintaining your quality of life
• feeling that you have tried all treatment possibilities.

Your doctor and the clinical trials or research nurse will discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages for you before you join a research study. Taking part in research doesn’t always mean you will be better off than before or compared to other people in a similar situation. Some people may not respond in the way researchers hope and will not benefit from being involved in the research.

In some clinical trials, people are divided into two groups. Only one group receives the experimental treatment, while the other group receives the current standard treatment (see Randomised controlled trials). You won’t get to choose which treatment you have, but either way you will be monitored more frequently and closely than usual.

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