Alexian Brothers Hospital Network Clinical Trials
Alexian Brothers Hospital Network is committed to advancing medicine by developing new ways to treat disease through clinical trials. Clinical trials are research programs conducted with human volunteers to evaluate a new medical treatment, drug or device. Alexian Brothers is currently engaged in over 120 such clinical trials. Those who participate in clinical trials are often the first ones to receive an investigational drug or gain access to new treatments before they are widely available. By participation, you also contribute to our growing body of medical knowledge.
There are benefits and risks involved in participating in a clinical trial. Talk to your Alexian physician before deciding to join a trial. An Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews all Alexian clinical trials. An IRB is an independent body of medical, scientific, and community members who are responsible for ensuring the rights, safety, and well-being of human subjects involved in clinical trials.
Clinical trials are offered through:
Types of clinical trials
-
Treatment trials test experimental treatments, new combinations of drugs, or new approaches to surgery or radiation therapy.
-
Prevention trials look for better ways to prevent disease in people who have never had the disease or to prevent a disease from returning. These approaches may include medicines, vitamins, vaccines, minerals, or lifestyle changes.
-
Diagnostic trials are conducted to find better tests or procedures for diagnosing a particular disease or condition.
-
Screening trials test the best way to detect certain diseases or health conditions.
-
Quality of life trials (or supportive care trials) explore ways to improve comfort and the quality of life for individuals with a chronic illness.
