A clinical trial is a special type of research study using human volunteers that is designed to answer specific health questions. Participants in clinical trials can gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research.

Federal Websites on Clinical Trials
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration maintains a web site devoted to clinical trials, available at http://www.fda.gov/oashi/clinicaltrials/default.htm . This web site includes many links to additional information about clinical trials and other government web sites.

Check out http://clinicaltrials.gov for answers to questions and information on specific funded clinical trials for many types of health conditions. This website is developed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine for the National Institutes of Health. You can search by the disease or condition, by the location, by the sponsoring agency or company, or by the status of the study.

More specific information on childhood cancers is available on this website that is sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers

Other Websites
CenterWatch, a publishing company, lists clinical trials for many types of health conditions that are actively recruiting patients:
http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/trials.html

Questions to ask before consenting to participate in a clinical trial
You should know as much as possible about the clinical trial and feel comfortable asking members of the health care team questions about it, the care expected while in a trial, and the cost of the trial. If you are considering being a part of a clinical trial, you may want to discuss these questions with the health care team:

• What is the purpose of this study? What questions might it answer?
• How will the study help in understanding my condition?
• Who is going to be in the study?
• Do the researchers believe the new treatment being tested may be effective? Has it been tested before?
• What kinds of tests and treatments are involved?
• Who will pay for the tests and treatments?
• Will I be reimbursed for other expenses?
• How do possible risks, side effects, and benefits in the study compare with my current treatment?
• How might this clinical trial affect my daily life?
• What other options of choices do I have if I decide not to participate?
• How long with the trial last?
• Will I be hospitalized?
• What type of long-term follow up care is part of this study?
• How will I know that the treatment is working? Will the results of the trial be provided to me?
• Who will be in charge of my follow up care?
• Could my condition become worse during the study? What will happen if it does?
• How can I end my participation if I change my mind?
• Who has reviewed and approved the study?
• Who do I contact for questions and information about the study?

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