How can I find the right clinical trial for me?

Whom should I ask first?
What about clinical trial registers?
My doctor says I should qualify; now what?

HOW CAN I FIND THE RIGHT CLINICAL TRIAL FOR ME?

Thanks to the internet, gathering information about clinical trials being conducted all over the world has never been so easy. However, you need to make sure you are choosing the best study for you.

Whom should I ask first?

If you are considering enrolling as a patient in a clinical trial, the first and easiest step is to ask your doctor, who is aware of your condition, knows all about your results, and will be certainly able to refer you to the most suitable trials in local hospitals, research centres or universities.
Meeting other people who have been diagnosed with the same condition is also a very useful way of gathering information: patients’ association events are usually very helpful and you can directly consult their websites.

What about clinical trial registers?

If you are not eligible for the clinical trials conducted in your area or if you are not satisfied with those options, you can directly browse the clinical trial registers of your country or even abroad (you can find here a list of the most used registers).
Several organizations have also developed computer-based systems to match patients with clinical trials for wich they may be eligible for. This service is often offered online.
If you find a clinical trial in wich you might be interested in participating, the best thing to do, once again, is to talk with your doctor. You might want to print the information available from the register and take it with you. Remember, you will probably need to be referred by a doctor in order to be able to enrol.

My doctor says I should qualify; now what?

If you are interested in a clinical trial that looks like a good option, you need to contact the research team – your doctor can do it for you – and go through the whole informed consent process before taking your final decision. Even though this might be a time-consuming process, it is essential to make sure you fully understand what you are signing for.
Besides the most important aspects – which are expected benefits and potential risks – you should also consider the logistics of the clinical trial: long journeys to the research centre or several days-off for exams or hospital-stays, might affect your participation and cause you withdraw.