Why asking questions matters
Being informed helps you feel more confident about your choices and what to expect. There are no "right" or "wrong" questions. What matters is understanding the information in a way that makes sense for you.
Asking questions can also help you:
- Understand your options
- Weigh benefits and risks
- Feel more prepared for what's ahead
Taking part in a clinical trial is your choice, and your consent is ongoing. You can ask questions and change your mind at any time before or during the trial. If you withdraw, the research team will explain what this means and discuss what happens to your information.
Tips for talking with your doctor
If you are going to speak to your doctor about trials, it might help if you:
- Take a family member or friend with you for support
- Plan what you would like to ask before your visit
- Write your questions down so you don't forget them
- Ask follow-up questions or new questions during or after appointments
- Use your phone or a recorder to remember what was discussed
Remember:
- You don't need to ask every question listed on this page
- These are suggestions - you can choose the questions that matter most to you
- You can ask questions over more than one appointment
- It's okay to take your time and come back with more questions later
For more tips about how to speak with your doctor and healthcare team, you may like to watch these videos developed by Cancer Council Victoria.
About a specific clinical trial
- How long does the study last? How long do I need to be involved if I participate?
- What is the purpose of this clinical trial and why is it being done?
- Who is running this trial?
- How many other people will be involved?
- How is the safety of participants being checked in this trial?
- Can you go through the participant information with me?
- Can I have the participant information in a different language?
- Where will I receive my care if I join this clinical trial?
- Is this clinical trial, or any parts of this clinical trial, being run as a teletrial?
- Will the trial use a placebo?
How the trial will affect you
- Who will oversee my cancer care while I’m participating? Will I need to see a different doctor if I join this clinical trial?
- What will I have to do while on this trial?
- What types of therapies, procedures and/or tests would I expect to have if I choose to join this clinical trial?
- How are these different to what I would have if I didn’t join the trial? Are there any extra tests involved?
- What are the possible benefits of joining this clinical trial?
- What are the possible risks of joining this clinical trial?
- Will I experience any side effects? How will they be treated?
- Can I still have other medicines or complementary therapies?
- Will my day-to-day life be affected? Will I need to take time off work?
- Will I be able to talk to other people who are participating in this clinical trial?
- Is participating in this clinical trial free, including all tests, treatment and travel costs?
- Can I be paid back for any out-of-pocket expenses?
- Can I still participate if I need to travel interstate or overseas?
- If I join this clinical trial, will I miss out on other treatment opportunities?
- How much time do I have to think about whether to join this trial? If I take time to decide, will delaying the treatment affect how well it works?
After the clinical trial
- What will happen with the research results? How will I be told about them?
- Will I have follow-up care through the clinical trials team?
- If I respond to the treatment, will I still be able to get access to it after the trial is over?