
Many clinical trials for cancer research lack participants
Researchers recently surveyed doctors to see the percentage of doctors to see who enrolled their cancer patients on clinical trials. The result showed only 43 percent of doctors referred their patients on clinical trials for cancer. The findings show that there is lack of participation by doctors, which in turn shows the low patient participation in clinical trials.
Clinical testing is one way to find treatment for cancer and it is difficult for researchers to achieve goals if there is a low turnout of participants for development of cancer treatment.
The survey reported that health care professionals who worked in offices were less likely to refer or enroll their patients to clinical trials, as opposed to those who worked in a hospital and those who were teaching. Around 67 percent of the total number of physicians who were involved in cancer centers or clinical oncology programs were those who enrolled patients in clinical trials.
One of the reasons why this was their result was partly because of the compensation for participating in trials. Doctors who enrolled patients in clinical trials have more work than those who did not.
Researchers are concerned since clinical trials are necessary to further improve cancer care.
Experts also recommend that doctors learn to value clinical trials and enroll patients.