Clinical Trials

Clinical trials may provide suitable patients with access to a drug or treatment for their disease that is not yet available outside a clinical trial. During the clinical trial, data is collected on the efficacy, safety and quality of the new drug under strictly controlled and save conditions.

Participation in a clinical trial is always voluntary and requires that the person has given written, informed consent to participate in advance. Consent can be withdrawn at any time during the clinical trial without giving any reason. Withdrawal is done by informing the researchers that the person no longer wishes to participate and withdraws his/her consent to participate in the trial.

In practise: Clinical specialists assess whether there is a study that could benefit the patient and in which the patient could be included. If such a study is found, the patient is told about it and he or she receives oral and written information about the study, including its possible disadvantages, benefits and risks, and how the study would be carried out. If the patient decides to participate, he/she gives their consent by signing an informed consent for the clinical trial.

All clinical trials at our Cancer Centre and Tampere University Hospital and Pirha are conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and in compliance with national and international laws and regulations.

Clinical Trial Units

Clinical trials are an important part of our cancer research and treatment options. Tampere University Hospital has two clinical research units:

• FONK, which offers cancer drug trials for adult cancer patients
• PeeTU, a pediatric clinical research center.

FONK

FONK is a cancer medication research unit for adults that operates at the Tampere University Hospital. The objectives of the unit are to improve the research possibilities of new cancer medication and to introduce new medication to patient use as early as possible. Further information: Syöpälääketutkimusyksikkö FONK (in Finnish)