While 1.5 million new cancer cases are expected in 2010, clinical trial participation for new cancer treatments remains low--about 3 percent of cancer patients. There are a variety of reasons for low enrollment--one of them may be not being able to find the right information about a study.
A number of sites like www.clinicaltrials.gov have immense databases with clinical trial enrollment info. With all that data, finding a trial should be as easy as using one of those restaurant guides I have on my iPod Touch. That capability hasn't been available. Until recently.
At ASCO, MedTrust Online, with support from GSK Oncology, launched a service called, appropriately enough, Cancer Trials App that sorts through information on all U.S. trials for the 12 most common cancers, not just GSK's studies. It's free and you can get it from iTunes. Once the right trial is found, a doctor can tell the patient where the closest location to enroll is. So think about the time saved when a cancer patient asks what clinical trial options are available left if all that information is easily accessible through a phone.
I'm not looking for a trial, but I may run into someone who is. That's why I think everyone who uses iTunes should have this app.
Congratulations on undertaking a progressive initiative that will help all sufferers.