You may want to consider participating in a clinical trial when making the decision about your mesothelioma treatment. Typically held in major cancer centers, clinical trials give you access to new and/or experimental procedures that are not part of the mainstream medical options.
Clinical trials are often sponsored by groups and agencies who are dedicated to finding cures for diseases, including mesothelioma. These include:
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Department of Defense
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Medical institutions
Clinical trials have three phases that must be studied before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will approve the drug or treatment for popular use. These phases are:
- Phase I – to find the most effective means to administer a new treatment, including the appropriate amount. Teams administering new drugs and treatments watch carefully for any side effects since human testing begins during Phase I.
- Phase II – the studies are to determine if the drug works. Patients are administered the highest dose that can be safely given based on the information from Phase I.
- Phase III – this is the largest phase, typically involving hundreds of people. In this phase a control group receives a more widely accepted treatment while a second group receives the new treatment. These groups are carefully watched for side effects. If one group shows significant improvement over the other, or if side effects of the new treatments are too severe, the study is stopped.
There are hundreds of clinical trials presently underway studying various drugs and procedures for treating mesothelioma. Finding the right clinical trial requires that you have information on all your options, particularly legal and financial. Mesothelioma treatments are expensive and must be received in a timely manner to be most effective. By contacting an experienced mesothelioma lawyer, you will learn what options you have, as well as information regarding good medical facilities. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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