Clinical Trials | Healthcare Research | JACC Research | Open Trials

The Joe Arrington Cancer Treatment and Research Center offers standard treatments, as well as new cancer therapies that are being tested for their effectiveness. Depending on your diagnosis, your doctor may offer enrollment in a clinical trial. Clinical trials test new therapies, new combinations of pharmaceuticals or new anticancer treatment strategies.

If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, a JACC research physican will provide you with a written explanation of the proposed research treatment program, including risks and benefits. Your doctor or nurse will answer any questions you may have and will ask you to sign a consent form that includes useful information on the specific form of cancer and the research treatment. You will receive a copy of the consent form for your records.

Research treatments offered by the JACC are reviewed at a number of levels nationally and/or locally to ensure both the protection of patients’ rights and the scientific merit of the research. Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an independent body constituted of medical, scientific and nonscientific members, whose responsibility it is to ensure the protection of patient rights and safety. The IRB assures the well-being of patients involved in every trial by reviewing, approving and providing continuing review of trials, protocols and amendments, and of the methods and material to be used in obtaining and documenting informed consent of the trial participants.

Local review boards include The Covenant Health System Institutional Review Board and the JACC Protocol Review Committee. These committees will first review a proposed trial. Chief concerns for the committee members include patient rights, safety, toxicity levels and the overall benefit of the study. Other issues such as whether or not the informed consent is readable and understandable will be considered. In addition to initial review, all studies are periodically re-reviewed to assess progress. The renewal process assures the trial is safe and beneficial to its participants and the medical community.

The JACC will not enroll you in a research treatment without your understanding, agreement and consent. You may withdraw at any time from a research treatment. This will not affect the quality of care you will receive at the JACC.

If you would like to contact the Clinical Research Department at JACC please send us an E-mail at jaccresearch@covhs.org