Despite Pressing Need, Memorial Sloan Kettering Survey Finds Most Americans Unlikely to Enroll in Clinical Trials

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The lack of participation in clinical research may be the Achilles heel facing today’s cancer community.  According to a new survey of more than 1,500 consumers and nearly 600 physicians conducted on behalf of MSK, only 35 percent of Americans indicated that they were “likely” to enroll in a clinical trial.  Other studies have shown that only 4 percent of cancer patients enroll in clinical trials nationally each year.  Additionally, the new data shows that only 40 percent of Americans have an positive overall impression of clinical trials. These statistics are sobering given that nearly every advance in cancer today was first evaluated in a clinical trial, which are increasingly dependent upon larger numbers of cancer patients participating in clinical research. Fortunately, education makes a measurable and immediate difference. For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact [email protected]