Why So Few Adults in Clinical Trials? - Patient Empowerment Network

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Interview With Dr. Michael Thompson (@MTMDPhD), Medical Director, Early Phase Cancer Research Program, University of Wisconsin

In Carol Preston’s interview with Dr. Michael Thompson, he states that about 60% of children participate in clinical trials, but only 3-5% of adults do. So, the question becomes, why are there so few adults participating in clinical trials? What are the adults afraid of? Dr. Thompson goes through some of the reasons why adults do not participate as much in clinical trials as much as children:

Patients do not qualify for the available trial
Patients believe trials require more testing, resulting in more travel and higher costs
Patients think trials may require too much effort on their part
Many patients distrust clinical trials
Patients don’t believe in the drugs
Many patients are not even aware of available clinical trials
Patients are afraid of receiving a placebo
Patients are afraid of having adverse side effects from the medication

Check out the full video below as Dr. Thompson further discusses this topic and how trial enrollment statistics could change through patient education and engagement. If cancer patients are informed about what clinical trials could offer them, or if they are able to ask questions, more adult patients may be more willing to participant in these trials.