Participating in clinical trials

Having been diagnosed with melanoma you may be offered participation in a clinical trial or research study.

Why Should I Join a Trial?

People choose to participate in trials for different reasons. There are benefits and risks involved in joining any trial.

The benefits are:

• You have an active role in your own healthcare
• You can access new research treatments
• You may experience a treatment benefit
• You will possibly help others including your own children and grandchildren by contributing to medical research
• You will experience personalised care and attention
• You will increase your knowledge about melanoma and its treatment

The risks are:

• The experimental treatment may not be effective for you
• You may experience side effects of the experimental treatment
• The trial may require more of your time and attention including more trips to the study site, more treatments and more investigations

Please remember that clinical trial participation is voluntary. You may withdraw from a trial at any time without affecting your ongoing care.

Informed Consent

Choosing to participate in a clinical trial is an important decision. Informed consent is the process of gathering and understanding the information about a trial in order to make an informed decision on whether or not you want to be a part of the trial.

You will always receive written information, the “Information for Participants” and the Consent Form for the specific trial you are being asked to consider, and you will be given ample opportunity to discuss that trial with your doctor and trial staff. The “Information for Participants” document includes details about the trial such as the aim, procedures involved, duration, alternative treatment options, risks, benefits, costs and key contact details.

When you feel that you are fully informed, you can decide whether to participate or not. If you choose to participate you will be required to sign the Consent Form. A signed copy of this form will be given to you for your records. Informed consent is also a continuing process throughout the trial providing participants with any new information that may affect their continuation in
the trial.