Common Myths About Clinical Trials
Published: April 22, 2025 Author: Beth Dougherty Medically Reviewed by: Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, MPH
Advances in cancer treatment depend on clinical trials that test new medicines and therapies. Nearly all cancer drugs used today were first evaluated in clinical trials.
However, in the United States, only about 3% of cancer patients participate in these studies. One reason is that many myths and misconceptions discourage participation, even though clinical trials may offer important benefits.
Clinical trials
“Participating in a clinical trial has many potential benefits, including being part of the search for new medicines or combinations of medicines to treat cancer,” explains Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, Director of Clinical Research at Dana-Farber.
Myth: Patients in clinical trials receive a placebo instead of the treatment being studied.
Reality: It is uncommon for cancer clinical trial participants to receive only a placebo. Two common types of trials compare the best standard treatment available with a new treatment, or compare different doses of an investigational drug.
If there is any possibility that a participant could receive a placebo, that information is clearly explained during the informed consent process. A member of the research team reviews the study details, answers questions, and makes sure the participant understands the study before enrollment.
Some trials testing new treatment combinations may compare standard treatment plus the new therapy with standard treatment plus a placebo. In those cases, the placebo is added to the standard treatment rather than replacing it.
Myth: Clinical trials are a last resort after all other treatments have failed.
Reality: Many clinical trials evaluate innovative therapies as a first treatment because early evidence suggests they may provide better outcomes than current standard therapies. Your doctor can help you understand your options and explain why a clinical trial may be an appropriate choice for you and how it may fit with other treatment plans.
Myth: To participate in a clinical trial, I will have to stop my standard treatment.
Reality: If your current treatment is working, your healthcare team will generally not recommend stopping it. The primary goal is for you to receive the best possible care.
In many treatment trials, participants receive the study treatment instead of a different cancer treatment. In other studies, patients continue their standard treatment while providing additional information through questionnaires or by allowing tumor samples to be analyzed and stored in a research registry.
You may leave a clinical trial at any time. Participation is always your choice, and your doctor will help you decide what steps are best for your care.
Myth: If I do not qualify for one clinical trial, I will never be eligible for another.
Reality: Every clinical trial has different eligibility criteria. For example, a trial of a new drug may require that participants are not enrolled in another treatment study. That does not necessarily prevent participation in other types of research, such as tumor bank studies, quality-of-life studies, or palliative care studies.
If one trial is not a good fit, ask your doctor whether another study may be more appropriate.
Myth: When the trial ends, I will lose access to the investigational drug even if it is helping me.
Reality: Many clinical trials allow participants to continue receiving the study treatment as long as they are benefiting from it and tolerating it well. Policies vary by study and are explained during informed consent.
Research centers have an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that helps protect participants’ rights and welfare. The IRB may ask the sponsor to continue providing the investigational treatment when it is benefiting the participant.
Myth: I will have to pay for the clinical trial treatment out of pocket because insurance does not cover investigational treatments.
Reality: In most cases, participants do not pay for study drugs or special research tests. Those costs are generally covered by the trial sponsor.
Health insurance usually covers routine medical care that would have been provided even if the patient were not participating in the trial. Potential costs are discussed during the informed consent process.
Many states, including Massachusetts, require insurers to cover participation in qualifying cancer clinical trials. Participants may still be responsible for deductibles or other costs related to their routine care.
Myth: Clinical trials are risky. What if I have side effects or the treatment does not work?
Reality: Advances in technology and a better understanding of cancer biology have improved the ability to develop more effective treatments and reduce side effects. They have also improved doctors’ ability to match patients to appropriate clinical trials.
In early-phase trials, such as Phase 1 studies, a drug may be tested in people for the first time. Researchers begin with a very low dose and increase it gradually to identify a safe dose.
In later-phase trials, a safe starting dose has already been established for many patients. Because every person’s body responds differently, new side effects may still be identified as more people receive the treatment.
For this reason, clinical trial participants are monitored closely and often have more frequent visits. Some patients appreciate the additional attention and support they receive. Their care team often includes nurses and other professionals with specialized training in clinical research.
If an investigational treatment is not working well for you, the research team will discuss the best next steps for your care.
For more information, visit the Dana-Farber booth at www.myhealthfair.com and read our blogs for additional information on this and other health topics.
Myth: Clinical trials are not for people like me.
Reality: Clinical trials are for everyone. It is essential that studies include people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, neighborhoods, and socioeconomic situations so researchers can understand how new treatments work across the entire population.
Greater participation from diverse communities helps ensure that future cancer treatments are safe and effective for everyone.
