FAQ

A clinical trial is an experimental evaluation of a product, substance, medicine, diagnostic or therapeutic technique that, in its application to humans, seeks to assess its efficacy and safety. These tests are performed only when there are reasons to believe that the treatment being studied may be beneficial to the patient.
Clinical trials are, therefore, carefully designed clinical research studies aimed at both the search for the best treatments and the best ways to prevent or diagnose a disease such as cancer.

Researchers carry out studies on new treatments to know the usefulness of the new treatment, its mechanism of action, whether the effectiveness is greater than other treatments already available, the side effects and if these are greater or less than the conventional treatment, if it outweighs the benefits from the side effects and in which patients the treatment is useful.

The selection of patients to enter a clinical trial is performed by physicians following a serie of criteria based on the type of disease and diverse clinical parameters.
If your doctor has offered you to participate in a clinical trial it is because the clinician believes that you can benefit from this treatment as it is suitable for the current state of your illness.
Participation in a clinical trial is completely voluntary. Strict scientific and ethical rules are followed to protect patients.
As a participant in a clinical trial of experimental treatment will receive its treatment in the Day Hospital of the Clinical Trials Unit of the Service of Hematology and Medical Oncology of the HCUV.

Clinical trials are needed to expand and generate new knowledge about the disease and improve both current treatment and care for current and future patients.

Each clinical trial has a patient information document and an informed consent, which explains the clinical trial in which the patient will participate, the treatment to be received, and the periodicity of the tests, and also the visits during their participation in the trial.
Your doctor will present you this documentation that you must sign if you agree to participate in the investigation. With this signed consent you are giving your express consent freely to participate and you should read the documents carefully, you can consult with your family, ask as many questions to your doctor as you deem necessary to be able to have all the information before signing.
It is important to remind you that your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw it at any time without having to give explanations and without this affecting your subsequent care.

The first step is the information from your doctor to participate in the clinical trial and the signing of informed consent.
Once the signed informed consent has been delivered, a series of tests will be organized before starting treatment. Once done, your doctor will tell you if you can receive the treatment within the clinical trial and when it is planned to start.
Your doctor and / or nurse will indicate the schedule of visits and prior evaluations and during treatment, as well as the side effects that may appear during it, the warning signs and the management of adverse effects.

Among the advantages of participating in a clinical trial are the following:
– Be able to receive novel treatments before they are approved by the health authorities.
– Comprehensive monitoring and control of your illness. You will be closely followed by doctors and nurses. Patients participating in clinical trials usually have more scheduled visits than if they receive standard treatment.
– To help future patients with the same diagnosis.
However, this may in turn lead to some inconveniences such as the greater number of procedures to be performed and / or hospital visits and the possible new adverse effects that these treatments may have on research.

The Day Hospital is an ambulatory care unit to cover the treatment and support needs of patients with oncological diseases included in clinical trials.

Clinical trial treatments are administered at the Day Hospital of the Clinical Trials Unit of the HCUV Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, which is located on the second floor of the INCLIVA building (adjacent to the Clinical Hospital). Addres: Avd. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4. 46010 Valencia