Clinical Trials Survey: Patients' Insight

An academic survey study is being conducted to help researchers understand patient insights about cancer clinical studies. If you want to be a part of this study, check out the survey here.

Bio: My name is Kathryn Gardner. I work full-time at a pharmaceutical company and am also working to complete my doctorate in Health Science degree at A.T. Still University. As part of the doctoral program, I am tasked with conducting a research study in an area of my choosing. Based on my personal and professional goals and experiences, I chose to research patient insights on cancer clinical trials. I did this for two reasons. First, from my experience in the pharmaceutical industry, I understand how important patient insights can be in determining the success of an emerging drug or product. New therapies cannot be brought to market without data generated in clinical trials, and clinical trials cannot successfully generate this data without sufficient patient participation.

Aiming to improve the clinical trial process

With my research, I would like to determine how engaged cancer patients feel when considering participation in a clinical trial, and what factors lead them to enter, or decline to enter, such a trial. This insight will help researchers improve the clinical trial process for future patients and assist in getting potentially life-saving treatments to market sooner.

My personal mission

The second reason I am conducting this research is personal. Cancer has touched my life from a young age, with my first exposure in elementary school watching a good friend's mom fight aggressive, metastatic, cancer from which she ultimately passed. That friend later was diagnosed with Leukemia herself and passed away a few years ago. In addition, many of my family members have been diagnosed with cancer, including aunts, grandparents, and most recently, both my mother and father.

The importance of successful clinical trials

I have seen the devastating effects this disease can have, but I have also seen how advancing therapies can save lives. Without successful clinical trials, new treatments cannot emerge for the general public. Only 3-5% of adult patients with cancer elect to participate in cancer clinical trials, although up to 20% are eligible. With my research, I would like to begin understanding why that is. If researchers can improve the clinical trial process for patients, perhaps more will elect to join clinical trials and life-saving treatments can become available to patients sooner.

Survey details

This survey is for research conducted by the Department of Graduate Health Studies at A. T. Still University. The purpose of this research is to understand the factors that influence a person's decision to participate in a cancer clinical study. Your participation is voluntary and will only involve completing the questionnaire. The study will use a series of questions to determine your attitudes, opinions, and experiences that may have affected your decision to participate, or not to participate, in a cancer clinical study. The risks to participating in this survey study are minimal, but you may experience discomfort when answering questions about your personal health decisions. The direct personal benefits of participating in this survey study are limited; however, you will be entered for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. In addition, by participating in this study, you will help researchers identify reasons people may or may not participate in clinical study research. With a better understanding of those reasons, researchers may be able to improve the clinical study process and experience for future patients, such as yourself.