Are Patients afraid of Clinical Trials?

Attitude to Clinical Trials

Despite better access to health care and the continued development of medicine, there is still a significant number of diseases for which we do not know of an effective cure. An increasing proportion of the population is also affected by cardiovascular, digestive system diseases and cancer. Clinical Trials are essential to introduce new drugs or therapies to the market. Even though Patients want to have access to modern, innovative therapies, only every second person would be willing to take part in a controlled, closely monitored Clinical Trial.

Have you ever heard the term "Clinical Trials"?

It was one of the many questions asked by the respondents as part of the study of the awareness of the residents of Bulgaria, Poland and Ukraine about Clinical Trials which was conducted by Pratia. Most people who knew this concept were in Bulgaria, as much as 63%. Poles came second, out of which 61% met this term, and Ukrainians came third, with 53%. It is worth noting that almost half of the surveyed Poles (47%), knowing this term, had a positive attitude to Clinical Trials. This attitude was even better among Ukrainians (53%) and Bulgarians (55%). We are glad that only 3% of Poles to whom we asked this question expressed their negative attitude and it was the lowest result among all three countries.

Over 60% of respondents believe that Clinical Trials give hope for curing health problems for which medicine currently has no solutions. This answer is not surprising considering the number of Clinical Trials registered globally and the therapeutic areas in which they are conducted. In 2021 alone, 5.5 thousand new Clinical Trials were opened worldwide, 37% of which concerned oncology.

Why do Patients want to participate in Clinical Trials?

To this question, the vast majority replied that Clinical Trials are a chance to cure the disease when other methods of treatment have proved ineffective. The second most frequently quoted answer (in Poland and Ukraine) was that as part of Clinical Trials, Patients have access to free, professional medical care. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Bulgaria ranked second with the fact that Clinical Trials provide access to the most modern methods of treatment. Moreover, an average of 70% of people who have already participated in a Clinical Trial have expressed their willingness to participate in the Trial again, if they have the opportunity to do so. A similar answer was given by every second respondent who had not yet participated in such research. Having a family or friends with a person who participated in a Clinical Trial also positively influences a person's decision about their possible participation in the Trial.

Barriers preventing participation in Clinical Trials

Most people are concerned about the adverse effects that may occur after taking the studied drugs. Fear of untested therapy appeared in second place among the respondents' answers. Are these fears justifiable? Taking any medication, from vitamin C to anti-cancer drugs, carries a risk of side effects. Nevertheless, the focal point around which every Clinical Trial revolves is to ensure the safety of Healthy Volunteers and Patients.

Research on new drugs is carried out in a strictly regulated manner that minimizes the risks for Patients, divided into phases I – IV. The study drug may proceed to the next stage of research, with the participation of a larger population of Patients, only if the previous phases confirmed its safety and did not undermine its effectiveness. Each study must be approved by the competent authorities and a bioethical commission assessing the benefits and risks for the Patient-related to participate in a given Clinical Trial. The Patient remains under strict clinical and diagnostic supervision to minimize the risk and help assess the effectiveness of the therapy. – emphasizes Łukasz Bęczkowski, expert in the area of ​​Clinical Trials, COO Pratia.

Clinical Trials may be associated with certain inconveniences caused by frequent visits to the Site. Despite the apparent inconvenience, thanks to these visits, the Patient's health is constantly monitored, and in most Clinical Trials all costs related to travelling to the Site are reimbursed.

How, then, can the attitude and awareness of Clinical Trials in society be changed?

The "Peoples’ awareness of Clinical Trials – Pratia 2022" report is our contribution to the collective work of thousands of Doctors, experts and advocates of science. We hope that it will help convey reliable knowledge even more effectively and might facilitate Patients' access to the care they need. – emphasizes the Pratia expert.

The prepared report showed a significant discrepancy regarding where Patients most often look for information and with whom they consult their decision regarding participation in a Clinical Trial. In Poland, participants replied that they most often look for information on the Internet (66%) and healthcare professionals such as doctors or pharmacists (60%). On the other hand, in Bulgaria and Ukraine, the respondents indicated Doctors and Pharmacists as the first source of information (81% and 78%, respectively), followed by family and friends (34% and 46%, respectively).

These results motivate us, even more, to spread knowledge about Clinical Trials on the Internet. Thanks to our activities, we want to improve the attitude of Patients to participate in Clinical Trials and convince people that without Clinical Trials it is not possible to introduce innovative drugs and therapies to the market.

* This report was prepared by "ARC Rynek i Opinia" commissioned by Pratia, on a representative sample of 4,565 people (Poland: N = 1,500, Ukraine: N = 1,541, Bulgaria: N = 1,524).