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• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> What are clinical trials and why do we need them? >> What are clinical trials and why do we need them?

What are clinical trials and why do we need them?

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial >> Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial

Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial

• Clip
• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Phil - Interview 11 >> Phil explains what the blood pressure trial was comparing and how people were allocated at random to different groups. He felt safe because he knew th

Phil took part in a trial of medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol. He had some side effects early on, so the medication was changed. He has been very happy with the care provided as part of the trial.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Amanda - Interview 22 >> Amanda wanted to run a trial on herself to see if a change of drug made any real difference to her arthritis, but was held up by the ethics approval p

Amanda has taken part in a trial of pro-biotic yoghurt for irritable bowel syndrome, and withdrew from a trial about early interventions to prevent diabetes. She is setting up a website for the public to design their own trials.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Tony - Interview 36 >> Tony says medical advances cannot be made unless people volunteer. He has benefited from drugs trialled by others in the past, and if he can do the sa

Tony took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction following a prostate operation. He was in the placebo arm but was given Viagra after the trial ended. (Husband of Pam, Interview 21).

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Polly - Interview 09 >> Polly decided not to take part in a placebo-controlled trial of tamoxifen because she felt there was already enough evidence it worked for breast canc

Polly was invited to be in a trial comparing tamoxifen against a placebo for breast cancer in the 1990s. She decided not to take part, because she felt there was already good evidence to support the use of tamoxifen.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Polly - Interview 09 >> Polly never felt she got a straight answer about why the trial was needed and whether the doctor would have offered her tamoxifen outside the trial. A

Polly was invited to be in a trial comparing tamoxifen against a placebo for breast cancer in the 1990s. She decided not to take part, because she felt there was already good evidence to support the use of tamoxifen.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Kate advises people to think carefully about the commitment involved before they agree. If you are going to pull out, do it as early as possible for t

Kate and her husband took part in a trial comparing injections of grass pollen antigen against a placebo as a way to reduce hay fever. Kate was in the experimental group and her husband in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Occasionally Kate and her husband found keeping appointments ‘a bit of a chore’, especially when he realised he must be in the placebo group, but they

Kate and her husband took part in a trial comparing injections of grass pollen antigen against a placebo as a way to reduce hay fever. Kate was in the experimental group and her husband in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Phil - Interview 11 >> Phil explains how the cholesterol-lowering drug and placebo were blinded, but he guessed he might be taking the active drug because his cholesterol le

Phil took part in a trial of medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol. He had some side effects early on, so the medication was changed. He has been very happy with the care provided as part of the trial.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Kate and her husband guessed correctly that she was getting the active injection and he was getting the placebo, because they reacted differently.

Kate and her husband took part in a trial comparing injections of grass pollen antigen against a placebo as a way to reduce hay fever. Kate was in the experimental group and her husband in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Gill - Interview 10 >> Gill would want to know a lot about the interventions being tested. She’d take part if there was genuine uncertainty about which treatment was best an

Gill discovered she had breast cancer in 2007. She would have liked to take part in a trial to help other women with breast cancer in future, but none was available.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Tony - Interview 36 >> Tony explains why he took part in an early placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction, and why testing against a placebo

Tony took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction following a prostate operation. He was in the placebo arm but was given Viagra after the trial ended. (Husband of Pam, Interview 21).

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Kate’s husband was annoyed when he guessed he was in the placebo group. He continued for the sake of the study, but it was a relief when it ended. He

Kate and her husband took part in a trial comparing injections of grass pollen antigen against a placebo as a way to reduce hay fever. Kate was in the experimental group and her husband in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Sergio - Interview 37 >> Sergio was told at the end of the trial he had been taking the active drug, but his diabetes symptoms had not changed. He always understood the trial

Sergio has taken part in several trials, including a placebo-controlled trial of diabetes medication, and a trial of talking therapy for depression. He likes to volunteer to support medical research.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Charles - Interview 29 >> He did not mind the idea of a placebo, and would have been curious to see if he was susceptible to the placebo effect. He might have dropped out if he

Charles volunteered for two trials, but ended up unable to take part in either of them. The first time he did not meet the eligibility criteria. The second time was because of an administrative mix-up about his age, and he feels it was not well handled.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> David - Interview 34 >> He’d have been interested to see what happened if he had been in the placebo group. Before the trial he might have felt disappointed to get a placebo

David volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a new treatment derived from mouse DNA to improve asthma symptoms. He later discovered he was in the group taking a lower dose of the treatment, but he would not have minded being in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Mental health trials >> Anton - Interview 28 >> Anton has taken part in many trials comparing different treatments, but would never agree to be in a placebo-controlled trial.

Anton has a long history of depression and has volunteered for several different trials in mental health, including trials of talking therapies as well as drug trials.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Polly - Interview 09 >> She would probably have taken part if tamoxifen had been available only through a clinical trial. She is not against placebo-controlled trials in prin

Polly was invited to be in a trial comparing tamoxifen against a placebo for breast cancer in the 1990s. She decided not to take part, because she felt there was already good evidence to support the use of tamoxifen.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer drugs and radiotherapy - randomised trials >> Rose - Interview 17 >> Rose would not want to test very experimental treatments, unless she was terminally ill. Then she might do it to benefit future generations, such as h

Rose took part in a trial for people with inoperable lung cancer, comparing radiotherapy alone with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy. She had just radiotherapy. The trial was stopped early because so few people agreed to take part.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer drugs and radiotherapy - randomised trials >> Judith - Interview 24 >> A relative with multiple sclerosis was upset to find he’d been in the placebo group in a trial. She would not like to be in a placebo-controlled trial

Judith agreed to take part in a randomised trial comparing different intervals of chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was allocated to the standard treatment and responded well.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Jenny - Interview 40 >> Jenny can’t imagine any condition where she’d be willing to think about a placebo-controlled trial. She recognises the possibility of benefiting from

Jenny is in a trial of different ways of treating heavy periods at her GP surgery. The trial compares standard treatment with a new kind of coil or intrauterine device which releases a hormone in the womb.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Sergio - Interview 37 >> Sergio was not worried about whether he got the placebo or the active drug. Since the case at Northwick Park, he has been more wary of the possible ri

Sergio has taken part in several trials, including a placebo-controlled trial of diabetes medication, and a trial of talking therapy for depression. He likes to volunteer to support medical research.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer - Non-randomised studies >> Julian - Interview 33 >> He can see that often a placebo might be safer than the trial drug. But in his case, he feels the evidence is already so strong he would not be happy

Julian has prostate cancer. He is in a Phase 1 trial of a drug (a PARP inhibitor) which may stop cancer cells regrowing in people like him who have the BRCA2 genetic mutation. This mutation increases the risk of prostate and other cancers.

• Condition
• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Clinical Trials

Publication date:  June 2009        Last reviewed: July 2011

Review date: July 2013

 

Well-designed clinical trials are a vital contribution to advancing medical knowledge, in order to improve treatment, care and quality of life for patients. It is important that trial volunteers understand what is involved and are able to make an informed choice. The new Healthtalkonline section on Experiences of Clinical Trials features interviews with 42 people from a wide range of backgrounds talking about why they took part in a trial, what information they needed, and what it was like for them. It also includes accounts from patients who decided not to take part, and those who withdrew from a trial.

 

Select from the key topics below or choose from the 'Full list of topics' on the left hand side to explore all the topics covered.

 

See also Clinical trials in children and young people: parents’ experiences

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> David - Interview 34 >> He’d have been interested to see what happened if he had been in the placebo group. Before the trial he might have felt disappointed to get a placebo

David volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a new treatment derived from mouse DNA to improve asthma symptoms. He later discovered he was in the group taking a lower dose of the treatment, but he would not have minded being in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Jenny - Interview 40 >> Jenny can’t imagine any condition where she’d be willing to think about a placebo-controlled trial. She recognises the possibility of benefiting from

Jenny is in a trial of different ways of treating heavy periods at her GP surgery. The trial compares standard treatment with a new kind of coil or intrauterine device which releases a hormone in the womb.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Polly - Interview 09 >> She would probably have taken part if tamoxifen had been available only through a clinical trial. She is not against placebo-controlled trials in prin

Polly was invited to be in a trial comparing tamoxifen against a placebo for breast cancer in the 1990s. She decided not to take part, because she felt there was already good evidence to support the use of tamoxifen.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Jenny - Interview 40 >> Filling in the questionnaire about her symptoms prompted Jenny to realise that the treatment wasn’t working, so she went back to her GP.

Jenny is in a trial of different ways of treating heavy periods at her GP surgery. The trial compares standard treatment with a new kind of coil or intrauterine device which releases a hormone in the womb.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Angela - Interview 23 >> Angela would take part in a trial another time, including a placebo-controlled trial, because she feels it’s important for medical science.

Angela was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after taking part in a trial on nerve conduction. She has since been in a randomised trial of different drugs for Parkinson’s and would happily take part in another trial, despite having had side effects.(Angela is also on our Parkinson’s disease site, Interview 10).

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Charles - Interview 29 >> He did not mind the idea of a placebo, and would have been curious to see if he was susceptible to the placebo effect. He might have dropped out if he

Charles volunteered for two trials, but ended up unable to take part in either of them. The first time he did not meet the eligibility criteria. The second time was because of an administrative mix-up about his age, and he feels it was not well handled.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> What are clinical trials and why do we need them? >> What are clinical trials and why do we need them?

What are clinical trials and why do we need them?

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial >> Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial

Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Leslie - Interview 43 >> Leslie was taken off the trial by hospital staff when he became so ill he was rushed into hospital by ambulance.

Leslie took part in a placebo-controlled drug trial of rofecoxib (Vioxx) for prostate cancer prevention. He became extremely ill, but doctors monitoring his progress did not pick up his symptoms. He took the drug company to court, and won compensation.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> David - Interview 34 >> He’d have been interested to see what happened if he had been in the placebo group. Before the trial he might have felt disappointed to get a placebo

David volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a new treatment derived from mouse DNA to improve asthma symptoms. He later discovered he was in the group taking a lower dose of the treatment, but he would not have minded being in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Polly - Interview 09 >> She would probably have taken part if tamoxifen had been available only through a clinical trial. She is not against placebo-controlled trials in prin

Polly was invited to be in a trial comparing tamoxifen against a placebo for breast cancer in the 1990s. She decided not to take part, because she felt there was already good evidence to support the use of tamoxifen.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Mental health trials >> Anton - Interview 28 >> Anton has taken part in many trials comparing different treatments, but would never agree to be in a placebo-controlled trial.

Anton has a long history of depression and has volunteered for several different trials in mental health, including trials of talking therapies as well as drug trials.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Charles - Interview 29 >> He did not mind the idea of a placebo, and would have been curious to see if he was susceptible to the placebo effect. He might have dropped out if he

Charles volunteered for two trials, but ended up unable to take part in either of them. The first time he did not meet the eligibility criteria. The second time was because of an administrative mix-up about his age, and he feels it was not well handled.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Sergio - Interview 37 >> Sergio was told at the end of the trial he had been taking the active drug, but his diabetes symptoms had not changed. He always understood the trial

Sergio has taken part in several trials, including a placebo-controlled trial of diabetes medication, and a trial of talking therapy for depression. He likes to volunteer to support medical research.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Kate - Interview 13 >> Kate’s husband was annoyed when he guessed he was in the placebo group. He continued for the sake of the study, but it was a relief when it ended. He

Kate and her husband took part in a trial comparing injections of grass pollen antigen against a placebo as a way to reduce hay fever. Kate was in the experimental group and her husband in the placebo group.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Tony - Interview 36 >> Tony explains why he took part in an early placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction, and why testing against a placebo

Tony took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction following a prostate operation. He was in the placebo arm but was given Viagra after the trial ended. (Husband of Pam, Interview 21).

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial >> Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial

Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Polly - Interview 09 >> Polly decided not to take part in a placebo-controlled trial of tamoxifen because she felt there was already enough evidence it worked for breast canc

Polly was invited to be in a trial comparing tamoxifen against a placebo for breast cancer in the 1990s. She decided not to take part, because she felt there was already good evidence to support the use of tamoxifen.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Not taking part in a trial >> Gill - Interview 10 >> Gill would want to know a lot about the interventions being tested. She’d take part if there was genuine uncertainty about which treatment was best an

Gill discovered she had breast cancer in 2007. She would have liked to take part in a trial to help other women with breast cancer in future, but none was available.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Sarah - Interview 38 >> She withdrew from the trial when a family member was taken into hospital. The smell of the injections started to upset her because it reminded her too

Sarah volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a drug intended to help women at risk of osteoporosis. It involved daily injections and eventually she dropped out of the trial. (You can see Sarah talking more about her experiences on the healthtalkonline site osteoporosis, Interview 27).

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Angela - Interview 23 >> Angela would take part in a trial another time, including a placebo-controlled trial, because she feels it’s important for medical science.

Angela was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after taking part in a trial on nerve conduction. She has since been in a randomised trial of different drugs for Parkinson’s and would happily take part in another trial, despite having had side effects.(Angela is also on our Parkinson’s disease site, Interview 10).

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer drugs and radiotherapy - randomised trials >> Rose - Interview 17 >> Rose would not want to test very experimental treatments, unless she was terminally ill. Then she might do it to benefit future generations, such as h

Rose took part in a trial for people with inoperable lung cancer, comparing radiotherapy alone with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy. She had just radiotherapy. The trial was stopped early because so few people agreed to take part.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Screening, prevention other medical interventions >> Jenny - Interview 40 >> Jenny can’t imagine any condition where she’d be willing to think about a placebo-controlled trial. She recognises the possibility of benefiting from

Jenny is in a trial of different ways of treating heavy periods at her GP surgery. The trial compares standard treatment with a new kind of coil or intrauterine device which releases a hormone in the womb.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer drugs and radiotherapy - randomised trials >> Judith - Interview 24 >> A relative with multiple sclerosis was upset to find he’d been in the placebo group in a trial. She would not like to be in a placebo-controlled trial

Judith agreed to take part in a randomised trial comparing different intervals of chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was allocated to the standard treatment and responded well.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Long term conditions >> Sergio - Interview 37 >> Sergio was not worried about whether he got the placebo or the active drug. Since the case at Northwick Park, he has been more wary of the possible ri

Sergio has taken part in several trials, including a placebo-controlled trial of diabetes medication, and a trial of talking therapy for depression. He likes to volunteer to support medical research.

• Medical research >> Clinical Trials >> Cancer - Non-randomised studies >> Julian - Interview 33 >> He can see that often a placebo might be safer than the trial drug. But in his case, he feels the evidence is already so strong he would not be happy

Julian has prostate cancer. He is in a Phase 1 trial of a drug (a PARP inhibitor) which may stop cancer cells regrowing in people like him who have the BRCA2 genetic mutation. This mutation increases the risk of prostate and other cancers.