Patient Power® COVID Cancer Patient Survey Shows Most Cancer Patients Willing to Take Part in Clinical Trials Despite Coronavirus

CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Patient Power®, a patient-driven cancer news organization, reports that a majority of cancer patients still want to participate in cancer treatment clinical trials despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey of 1,485 cancer patients. The Patient Power COVID-19 Cancer Trial Survey, the second Patient Power survey on how cancer patients feel about clinical trials, also showed that patients are willing to take part in trials even if it means coming into clinical settings frequently during the coronavirus pandemic. Of those patients who did participate in clinical trials during the pandemic, the overwhelming majority felt that their safety was protected by trial administrators. However, the survey also found that medical teams discussed clinical trials with only 15% of respondents, down from the 57% of patients reporting they had such discussions with their doctors in the first Patient Power Cancer Trial survey, reported in February. The Patient Power COVID-19 Cancer Trial Survey also had twice the number of respondents than the earlier, pre-pandemic survey.

The survey results were reported in a capstone speech by Patient Power Co-Founder and President, Andrew Schorr, at the Oncology Summit for the Society of Clinical Research Sites. Schorr, living with two blood cancers, has participated in two clinical trials himself. Patient Power, which urges patients to become educated on all treatment options, including trials, from diagnosis on, also calls for medical professionals to consider clinical trials as vital potential options for all cancer patients.

"This survey shows that most cancer patients are still willing to participate in clinical trials, despite the very real dangers the pandemic poses to them," said Andrew Schorr, Patient Power Co-Founder and President. "However, the percentage of respondents who said that their medical teams discussed clinical trials with them has sharply decreased from the already low pre-pandemic rate we reported in our first study. We continue to encourage cancer specialists to talk about clinical trials with their patients, as patients are clearly willing to take part in them."

About the Survey

A survey of 1,485 patients with cancer was conducted between August 27 and September 16, 2020. Of the 1,359 respondents who answered this particular question, 57% said that they were "very likely" or "possibly likely" to participate in a clinical trial, and 17.7% were undecided. 25.1% said they were "unlikely" to do so. 13% of respondents reported that they were in a clinical trial during the pandemic. Of these, 93% said they felt their safety was protected by trial administrators. Only 15% of respondents said that their medical team discussed clinical trial participation with them during the pandemic. In contrast, 57% of patients responded that their medical team discussed trial participation in the first Patient Power Cancer Trial Survey, reported on February 3, 2020.

To view the survey, please go to:  https://data.surveygizmo.com/r/145932_5f628faf240685.59513315

About Patient Power

Patient Power is a patient-centric, mission-driven media organization dedicated to providing actionable information and support to people affected by cancer. Through its multiple programs, Patient Power empowers patients and their care partners with the most up-to-date and salient information to make savvy treatment and life-style decisions. Programs, such as "Answers Now," center on topical issues facing cancer patients in a constantly shifting treatment and outside world, both particular to specific cancers and across all of them. "Ask the Expert" brings in medical specialists for granular, often interactive discussions on treatment advances and concerns in specific cancers. Patient Power live reporting from medical conferences breaks down the latest treatment advances. Regular e-newsletters dive deep into specific cancers and ongoing content captures medical opinion as well as the wisdom of experienced patients and care partners.

Patient Power also amplifies the voice of people it reaches, delivering their insights to interested parties, including the media, government and companies that develop cancer treatments. 

Patient Power's mission is to help patients and care partners, from diagnosis on, approach cancer in a way that accelerates their journey to the best possible health.

For more, please visit us at https://patientpower.info/, https://twitter.com/patientpower, https://www.instagram.com/patientpower/?hl=en, https://www.facebook.com/PatientPower.Info/

Contact:

Andrew Schorr
Co-Founder and President
[email protected]

Media:

Deanne Eagle
[email protected] 
(917) 837-5866

SOURCE Patient Power

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