• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Docs and patients view clinical trials differently

Physician Practice Advisor, May 18, 2005

Physicians don't view side effects as a decision-making barrier for patients considering experimental therapy, according to a Fox Chase Cancer Center survey.

The study surveyed 478 medical oncologists in Pennsylvania and their patients and results were presented recently at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 41st Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. In addition to demographic characteristics, the survey also evaluated practical and psychosocial barriers to clinical trial participation.

"The majority of patients and doctors strongly agreed that clinical trials are important to improving cancer treatment," said medical oncologist Neal J. Meropol, M.D., according to a report in ScienceDaily.com. "However, whereas 79% of oncologists strongly agreed that patients benefit from participating, only 57% of the patients felt strongly that they would benefit."

Of seven possible obstacles to clinical trials, patients cited fear of side effects as the greatest deterrent, whereas physicians ranked that last among psychosocial barriers. Other patient/doctor discrepancies in ranking impediments to clinical trials included:

• lack of trust in medical establishment (doctors ranked 2, patients ranked 6)
  
• patients' lack of understanding of clinical trials (doctors ranked 4, patients ranked 7)

For more information about the survey, see www.fccc.edu or call 1-888-FOX CHASE.

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive