Are Cancer Trials Too Intimidating For Patients?

A new study released by the international journal Sociology of Health and Illness shows that cancer trials are too long, filled with jargon, and can be intimidating. The study consisted of 13 cancer trials and 26 patients. The authors of the study found that the problem was not the research ethics committee, “We found that research ethics committee examine information sheets very carefully. They are genuinely keen to make sure that patients are not misled in any way and that the information sheets are easy to read…The problem is that information sheets are trying to do too many things. Patients often find them far too long and incomprehensible” says Author Dr. Natalie Armstrong. One patient added to Dr. Armstrong’s statement, “There was a lot of jargon that didn’t really necessarily need to be in there. I think that there was a lot of information that sort of baffled you.” This particular study caught the eye of the Health Research Authority (HRA) Ethics Advisor Hugh Davies, “The HRA recognizes the evident dissatisfaction around participation information sheets. It is currently rewriting guidance that will focus on key principles rather than proscriptive instruction”. To read more, click here.