A clinical trial is a research study designed to test new medical treatments, devices, surgical procedures or behavioural interventions in people.
Clinical trials bridge the gap between discoveries made in the laboratory and their application on humans. This process is often described as taking treatments ‘from bench to bedside’.
Clinical trials are used to explore the effects of a treatment on a patient, and do not replace standard treatment approaches. Instead, these trials test whether a treatment strategy developed in the laboratory setting is safer, more effective or both for a patient population.
For children, especially those with rare or hard-to-treat cancers, clinical trials can sometimes be the only available option. There is some risk that a treatment won’t be successful, but the potential benefits are significant. These trials provide access to innovative therapies that might not otherwise be available.
The knowledge gained from clinical trials, such as identifying safe dosing levels and assessing treatment effectiveness, is invaluable, even when outcomes are not as hoped. Children and families who choose to participate in these studies play a crucial role in helping medical experts improve treatment options for future patients. Each trial represents a careful balance of risk and potential benefit, offering hope for breakthroughs that could transform healthcare standards.
To participate in a clinical trial, a child or young adult must meet the eligibility criteria and requires permission from a parent or guardian to proceed.
Like research, trials take a significant amount of time to be approved to be considered a standard of care, because a new treatment strategy must demonstrate it is consistently safe and broadly effective for patients. There are four phases of clinical trials:
