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Medical research
Clinical Trials
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Finding out about a trial :
What are clinical trials and why do we need them?
Different types of clinical trial
Being asked about taking part in a trial
Information and questions
Difficulties finding a trial to join
Deciding whether to take part – risk and benefits :
Reasons for wanting to take part – personal benefit
Reasons for wanting to take part – helping medical science
Deciding not to take part
Thinking about withdrawing from a trial
Why people may not be eligible to join a trial
Being in a trial :
Feelings about being allocated (randomised) to a treatment group
Feelings about being in a placebo-controlled trial
Blinded trials
Non-randomised trial designs and other studies
Side effects and queries
Time commitment, money and other practical issues
Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
Communication between different health professionals
At the end of a trial :
Feelings when a trial ends
Feedback of trial results
Other issues :
Attitudes to taking part in another trial
Funding and publishing trials
Public awareness and involvement
Under-researched topics/priorities for other research
Messages to other people
Messages to professionals
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Clinical Trials
Subject index
Topic
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
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Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
Clip
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Joanna - Interview 04
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Joanna describes the ovarian cancer screening trial, comparing no screening, a blood test and a vaginal ultrasound scan.
Joanna took part in a six-year trial of screening for ovarian cancer. She feels some aspects of the trial were not well managed. Her husband, who had leukaemia and died recently, also took part in trials.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Caroline - Interview 08
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The trial involved a home visit from a researcher and a follow-up questionnaire.
Caroline’s first baby was born by emergency caesarean. In her next pregnancy she took part in a trial comparing different types of information and decision aids about birth choices for women after a previous caesarean. She chose to attempt a natural birth.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Joanna - Interview 04
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Joanna thought the questionnaire about feelings was badly designed. She tried to point out that her feelings were related to her husband’s illness, no
Joanna took part in a six-year trial of screening for ovarian cancer. She feels some aspects of the trial were not well managed. Her husband, who had leukaemia and died recently, also took part in trials.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Jenny - Interview 40
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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
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Clinical Trials
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Mental health trials
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Fenella - Interview 20
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Fenella explains the trial treatment for borderline personality disorder and why questionnaires were important to check the effect on her mental state
Fenella took part in a randomised trial of partial hospitalisation compared to standard community treatment for borderline personality disorder. Results showed the group she was in (partial hospitalisation) had better outcomes.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Long term conditions
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Angela - Interview 23
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Angela was asked questions about mobility and activities of daily living, but also about her emotions and relationships.
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
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Caroline - Interview 08
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Caroline felt the researchers were only interested in certain questions which weren’t really about her experience. The questionnaire was long and repe
Caroline’s first baby was born by emergency caesarean. In her next pregnancy she took part in a trial comparing different types of information and decision aids about birth choices for women after a previous caesarean. She chose to attempt a natural birth.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Rosamund - Interview 18
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The questions in the ovarian screening questionnaire didn’t seem to be about things women themselves would think important. Input from consumers would
Rosamund is taking part in a large trial testing the effectiveness of screening for ovarian cancer. She is in the control group, so she has no screening tests but completes regular questionnaires.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Trials involving surgery
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Merilyn - Interview 41
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Follow-up after the trial doesn’t include questions about the surgical scar and post-operative pain, or about wider lifestyle issues, which Merilyn fi
Merilyn took part in a randomised trial of different procedures for carrying out a heart bypass operation. She was in the group which had the new procedure.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Screening, prevention other medical interventions
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Rosamund - Interview 18
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Involving people in research can seem tokenistic, but it’s still useful to have comments on leaflets and questionnaires to make them more understandab
Rosamund is taking part in a large trial testing the effectiveness of screening for ovarian cancer. She is in the control group, so she has no screening tests but completes regular questionnaires.
Medical research
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Clinical Trials
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Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
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Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
Appointments, monitoring, questionnaires
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