Clinical Research

One of the distinguishing characteristics of our vibrant cancer program is the ability to provide you the latest techniques, devices, and medications in the ongoing battle to conquer cancer. Often, these items are available initially only in a clinical research setting as they are evaluated for effectiveness and safety.

Clinical research (also called clinical trials) is a research study to answer specific health questions. Clinical research is the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people.

Baptist Cancer Institute continues to lead this region in participation in research protocols - offering patients an opportunity to take advantage of new therapies and receive promising treatments before they are widely available.

What is a protocol?
A protocol is a study plan on which all clinical research is based. The plan is carefully designed to safeguard the health of the participants as well as answer specific research questions. A protocol describes what types of people may participate in the trial; the schedule of tests, procedures, medications, and dosages; and the length of the study. While in a clinical trial, participants following a protocol are seen regularly by the research staff to monitor their health and to determine the safety and effectiveness of their treatment.

For general information about clinical trials, please visit the National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials website.

Institutional Review Committee
The federal government has established complex but important requirements for the performance of research on human subjects. To meet those requirements, the Board of Directors at Baptist Medical Center (BMC) enlists the help of community leaders to serve as the Institutional Review Committee (IRC). The IRC meets regularly to review, evaluate, approve, and monitor all research conducted at BMC and its entities. The fundamental charge of this oversight committee is to protect the rights of people enrolled in such trials and to make sure volunteers can make an informed decision regarding their participation.

Why participate in clinical research?
Volunteers who participate in clinical research can play a more active role in their own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research.

Who can participate in clinical research?
All clinical research has guidelines about who can participate. Typically, the criteria are based on such factors as age, gender, the type and stage of a disease, previous treatment history, and other medical conditions. Before joining a clinical trial, a participant must qualify for the study. Some research studies seek participants with illnesses or conditions to be studied, while others need healthy participants. It is important to note that criteria are not used to reject people personally. The criteria help ensure that researchers will be able to answer the questions they plan to study.