Clinical trials are research studies that allow advances in medicine, identify new treatments and ensure safe and effective care for patients. One of the great benefits of receiving cancer care at an academic health center like UF Health is patient access to advanced medical treatment and the latest clinical trials.
We welcome patients from referring physicians and are dedicated to providing clear, consistent communications between UF Health faculty and staff and the physicians and staff of referring practices. Our goal is to be your partner in patient care. To learn more about clinical research trials or refer a patient, please call 352.273.8675.
Understanding Clinical Trials
Randomized clinical trials assign patients by chance to different treatment groups. This assignment is usually done by a computer program. Neither you nor your doctor decides your treatment group. Randomization helps researchers avoid “bias” in trials, which is when study outcomes are affected by outside or unknown influences.
Cancer clinical trials can sometimes involve the use of a placebo, which looks like the real medicine or treatment except it does not contain the active medication or treatment. Placebo-controlled trials compare the effects of the active drug or treatment to the effects of the placebo you will be told if a study involves a placebo. You will not know if you are receiving the real medicine or the placebo.
Clinical trials: Advancing care for patients now, and later
Clinical trials are the foundation of medical advances. They’re essential because they help establish better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases like cancer. But they also provide something much more valuable: hope. By volunteering to participate in clinical trials, patients can help uncover new insights into diseases and improve care for future patients.
