Read press release Safety in clinical trials
This page tells you about how you are protected when you take part in a clinical trial. There is information on
Treatments have been thoroughly tested in laboratory trials before they are ever tested with groups of patients. Then, treatments must get through testing with patients in phase 1 and 2 trials before they can be used in phase 3 trials.
There are many other safeguards for patients taking part in trials
- The trial plan (protocol) is inspected and must be approved by an ethics committee
- A data monitoring committee supervise the running of the trial
- Insurance for patients must have been arranged
- Your privacy is protected
- You must be told all about the benefits and risks before you agree to take part
Indemnity cover (insurance) pays compensation to you if any harm should come to you because of the trial. Under UK and European regulations, there has to be insurance or indemnity to cover people taking part in trials. The organisation or drug company funding the trial has to take out insurance. If they don't, the ethics committee may not approve the trial. In practice, several different bodies may provide cover for you. If you have treatment in an NHS hospital or clinic as part of a trial, the NHS is liable for any clinical negligence. If university researchers are involved, the university negligence insurance provides cover for any harm resulting from the design of the trial. Drug companies are responsible for insuring against any harm caused by the drugs being investigated.
If a trial is investigating drugs already licensed for treating cancer, there may not be extra insurance to cover use of the drug. The drugs have already been tested and found safe to use, so extra insurance is not thought necessary. You would usually be covered by the insurance held by the doctor and hospital treating you. You can ask your doctor or research nurse about trial insurance if you are worried.
The researchers and organisations funding and running trials don't want any harm to come to the people taking part. They want better treatment for people with cancer. Cancer charities rely on donations to keep their work going. The researchers rely on the charities to fund them. If something goes wrong, their reputations would suffer. They may raise less money. And so not be able to fund as much research.
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