Navigating Clinical Trials: A Patient’s Guide
Are you considering participating in a clinical trial? Here, you will find information on how our program works and what you can expect during different stages of clinical trial participation.
How We
Identify Eligible Patients
There are various ways we learn about potential patients that may be eligible for a trial:
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Your physician/oncologist can refer you to the Cancer Vaccine Institute by sending an email to CVI Trials.
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Potential patients can review clinical trial information available here and reach out to us if they think they might be eligible based on the listed criteria. You can do so by sending an email to CVI Trials.
How We Consent Patients for Participation
Each clinical trial is different, with its own specific treatments, visit, and exam requirements.
Before deciding to join a clinical trial, you will meet with a CVI clinical trial provider and research coordinator. Together, you will review and discuss the consent document. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the clinical trial. We call this an informed consent discussion. It can happen in person or remotely.
How We Screen Patients for Specific Trials
Upon agreeing to participate in a clinical trial, you will answer questions about your health, medical history, and current medications. Depending on the specific trial, we may perform additional tests (like blood draw, ECG, imaging, etc). This would be discussed during the informed consent process.
The information gathered in this part of the process is used for screening, to make sure that you fit the clinical trial’s qualifications to participate. This evaluation period may take several days or even weeks.
What Patients Can Expect Once They Enroll
Once you are enrolled and participating in a clinical trial, our CVI Team will inform your primary oncologist of your participation in the clinical trial. You will still receive your regular care, or standard of care, with your primary oncologist. The CVI Team will help you to manage your research-related care, including treatments, visits, and clinical trial-related exams. There may be times when the CVI Team will need to coordinate with your primary oncologist to manage symptoms.
Concerns?
If you’re in a clinical trial and have research-related questions or concerns, we recommend you contact the CVI Team. We can guide you in directing your symptom-related questions to our team and/or your primary oncologist. The CVI Team may also directly contact your primary oncologist on your behalf with any clinical concerns or updates.
If you have questions or concerns related to your regular care, we recommend you contact your primary oncologist directly.
What Happens When the Clinical Trial Ends
Upon completion of clinical trial activities and visits, you will end your care with the CVI Team. Your care will continue on with your primary oncologist. At that time, your primary oncologist will discuss next steps for your treatment and care.
Ways Clinical Trial Completion Can Occur:
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You have completed all therapies and visits.
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You have withdrawn your consent to participate in the clinical trial.
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You are no longer able to participate in the clinical trial.
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The clinical trial is paused or halted.
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The clinical trial investigator believes your participation is no longer in your best interest.
Getting Clinical Trial Results
We will provide any published clinical trial results to patients that participated in a CVI clinical trial (i.e. abstract, poster, publication). This publication will be accompanied by a summary of the results. The publication and summary will also be available on the CVI website for reference. Please note that it can take many years after a clinical trial is completed for results to be published.
If patients agree to be contacted in the future, they will receive relevant newsletters, CVI Annual Reports, event invites, and more.
Learn More
You can find more general information on clinical trials on our Trial Participants FAQs page.
or contact our Patient Coordinator: 866-932-8588, cvitrial@uw.edu