Blog
What a clinical trial is, how it works and what taking part means for you – explained by our medical editorial team, complemented by patients' experiences.
3 min readSebastian SommerClinical trials: who covers travel costs and other expenses?
Even reimbursed journeys may need to be paid for upfront. How to turn a trial's appointment schedule into a realistic plan for time, travel and expenses.
3 min readMatthias FröhlichYour first trial conversation: 12 questions to take along
A checklist for talking to the trial team: potential benefits, risks, alternatives and how participation would fit into your daily life.
3 min readRainer ClausUnderstanding biomarkers: what molecular tests can tell me about my tumour
What biomarkers are, why they matter for some trials and why a matching test result does not guarantee that treatment will work.
3 min readSebastian SommerWhere can I find the results of a clinical trial?
Use the trial number to find the right record: where to look for results, how plain-language summaries help and what to ask when information is missing.
6 min readRainer ClausWhat happens in a clinical trial – step by step
From the first examination to follow-up: which stages there are, what randomization means and why you can leave at any time.
4 min readMatthias FröhlichPlacebo, standard therapy, study drug – what will I receive?
Why cancer trials almost never give “only” a placebo and what “standard therapy” actually means.
5 min readSebastian Sommer“I simply asked” – how Mr. K. found his trial
A personal account of the first conversation with the oncologist and the weeks that followed.