Average clinical development time is a component of overall drug approval time and has an important influence on how quickly new and improved drug treatments are available to patients. It is the one factor that patients themselves can influence by volunteering to participate in clinical drug trials. But access and participation are two different things. Clinical trials represent the very best care we have to offer for many cancer patients, yet many do not take advantage of the opportunity because of lack of awareness or misconceptions of what a clinical trial really is. Last week's release of results of a Harris Interactive survey of 6,000 cancer patients supports Comis' opinion.
Misconceptions also reduce patient participation in clinical trials.
Nevertheless, progress is being made. Clinical research has been strengthened by relieving regulatory burdens. The results of these efforts have been more drugs, faster approvals and better research.