Mary Engel, writer for Fred Hutch News Service, stated the importance of clinical trials and patient involvement in her recent article. Participation in clinical trials is crucial to the development and success of finding new treatments because they are currently the only accepted method to test new treatments for success in humans, yet patients are still reluctant. “Nationwide, only 3 to 5 percent of adult cancer patients take part in federally funded clinical trials,” wrote Engel.
A study by JAMA Oncology showed that the low-income population could skew the results of clinical trials due to a lack of participation. While a study sponsor will most likely cover the costs of treatment and research for a patient involved in a clinical trial, other expenditures may arise, such as any additional drugs or services needed during the time period. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires insurance companies to cover routine costs of a clinical trial patient, which is hoped to spark a greater involvement from the general population.
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