For African Americans Living with Multiple Myeloma. Is a Clinical Trial Right for Me? 7 Useful Things You Should Know

3 Standard of care People who enroll in a clinical trial for a cancer treatment will always receive at least the current standard of care. The term “standard of care” refers to treatments that are accepted by medical experts to be the best practice and are widely used. When you are in a clinical trial, you can expect: • Care will be provided by the healthcare team running your trial. Your team may include physicians, physician’s assistants (medical professionals similar to doctors), nurse practitioners, nurses, and social workers or counselors. • Regularly scheduled appointments at the clinical trial location may be at a hospital or a doctor’s o ce. This may require additional time and travel commitments. • Medical treatments will be the current best practice to treat multiple myeloma or may include new medication(s) being tested. Also, you may receive regular medical tests, such as blood tests. • Your safety is your healthcare team’s top priority. The new treatment may have unknown side e ects or other risks, which may or may not be worse than those from existing treatments. Your physician will elaborate the risk before enrollment to the trial and during the trial if side e ects emerge. “Will I receive the b est possible care?” C linical trials are designed to ultimately im prove the “standard of care,”…but w hat does that mean? 7 Your healthca e team can help Your doctor can help. Should you qualify for a clinical trial, your trial will be conducted according to a set of trict rules (the protocol) th t help nsure your safety. Your he lthcare team will help you stick to your treatment, to give you the best utcome possible. Safeguards have been put in place to protec the patients in clinical trials , including commi tees to m nitor patient safety, p tient-fr endly inf rmed conse t forms, and transparency around the trial results. • Clinical trials ar regulated by the US Foo and Drug Administration (FDA) and local institutional ethics bodies. You may reach out to the professionals that oversee your clinical trial at any time, wit any questions yo may have. “How do I find the right clinical trial for me?” 2 3 1 5 Notes 4 6