Clinical Trials
Participation in clinical trials gives patients like you unique opportunities to receive a new treatment that might otherwise be unavailable.
Your participation also helps doctors improve the care we provide you and other throughout the Mount Sinai Health System. Our physician scientists conduct many studies throughout the year, examining the effectiveness of new therapies and procedures. We encourage you to speak with your health care doctor if you interested in learning about our current clinical trials.
What Are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are research studies that test new ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, or treat pulmonary diseases like COPD, sarcoidosis, or lung cancer with the help of patients like you. Many standard therapies used in cancer treatment today began as drugs that were tested in clinical trials.
A clinical trial typically starts by testing a potential drug’s dosing, confirming its effectiveness, and looking for side effects; this is called a Phase I Trial. Next is a comparison of the new drug to a current therapy that is already proven effective; this is called a Phase II trial. Finally, the trial continues to test the effectiveness of the new drug with a larger group of patients; this is phase III.
Why Should You Participate in a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial may provide you access to promising new pulmonary medications and treatments or approaches that are often not available to the public. Results from a clinical trial that you participate in may help scientists develop even better therapies and will ultimately help other patients in the future. When you discuss your treatment options with your pulmonologist, ask about the possibility of participating in a clinical trial.
Joining a Clinical Trial
The decision to participate in a clinical trial is an important personal decision—and a voluntary one. A clinical trial may be appropriate for you depending on the purpose and phase of the trial. To help you decide about joining a clinical trial, consult with your doctor, your family members, and friends. You should also speak with the study research staff and ask questions about specific trials.
Before participating, you will need to give your informed consent and meet all the eligibility criteria for the clinical trial.