Communicating Uncertainties Associated With the Benefits and Risks of New Cancer Drugs

NCT ID: NCT06997185

Last Updated: 2025-05-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

3000 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-05-09

Study Completion Date

2025-06-30

Brief Summary

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This nationally representative randomized survey of US adults will evaluate the effect of using brief statements to communicate different sources of uncertainty about the benefits and harms of new cancer drugs on participants' decisions and understanding.

Detailed Description

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Many newer cancer drugs are approved before uncertainties with their underlying clinical trial evidence have been adequately studied, in turn making it difficult to accurately determine the drug's benefits and harms. Prescription drug information rarely communicates these uncertainties. In a nationally representative sample of US adults, this study will evaluate the effect of using brief statements to communicate different sources of uncertainty about the benefits and harms of new cancer drugs on participants' decisions and understanding.

In the pre-intervention phase, participants will be given information about a hypothetical new drug approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Participants will be asked how likely they would be to take the drug, and how certain they are that the drug will work. Participants will then be randomized to 1 of 5 statements about a source of uncertainty with the drug's evidence that were based on the most common sources of uncertainties with new cancer drugs that are cited in FDA approval decisions: (1) single-arm trial designs, (2) limited study populations (i.e., generalizability of clinical trial evidence), and (3) limited study durations (i.e., long-term benefits and harms). Two additional uncertainties were also included that are frequently mentioned in the scientific literature: (4) the use of unvalidated surrogate endpoints to support new cancer drug approvals, and (5) uncertain treatment effect size (i.e., the magnitude of therapeutic benefit). The post-intervention questions will re-assess participants' decision making and perceptions of uncertainty, as well as their understanding of the uncertainty communicated in the statement.

Conditions

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Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators
Double-blind

Study Groups

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Single arm trial

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Statement communicating uncertainty with a single arm trial

Intervention Type OTHER

Because Zenova has not been compared to other treatments, it is unknown if Zenova is better, the same, or worse than other treatments for non-small cell lung cancer.

Limited study duration (long-term benefits and harms)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Statement communicating uncertainty with limited study duration

Intervention Type OTHER

Since patients given Zenova were followed for a short time, the longer-term benefits and harms of taking Zenova are unknown.

Limited study population (generalizability)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Statement communicating uncertainty with a limited study population

Intervention Type OTHER

Zenova has not been studied in patients similar to Alex (patients with her race and ethnicity). It is unknown whether Zenova will work and what harms it will have for patients like her.

Unvalidated surrogate endpoint

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Statement communicating uncertainty with an unvalidated surrogate endpoint

Intervention Type OTHER

Zenova has only been shown to shrink the size of tumors. It is unknown whether Zenova improves how patients feel or how long they live.

Treatment effect size (magnitude of benefit)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Statement communicating uncertainty with treatment effect size

Intervention Type OTHER

It is unknown whether patients with non-small cell lung cancer will notice an improvement with Zenova.

Interventions

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Statement communicating uncertainty with a single arm trial

Because Zenova has not been compared to other treatments, it is unknown if Zenova is better, the same, or worse than other treatments for non-small cell lung cancer.

Intervention Type OTHER

Statement communicating uncertainty with limited study duration

Since patients given Zenova were followed for a short time, the longer-term benefits and harms of taking Zenova are unknown.

Intervention Type OTHER

Statement communicating uncertainty with a limited study population

Zenova has not been studied in patients similar to Alex (patients with her race and ethnicity). It is unknown whether Zenova will work and what harms it will have for patients like her.

Intervention Type OTHER

Statement communicating uncertainty with an unvalidated surrogate endpoint

Zenova has only been shown to shrink the size of tumors. It is unknown whether Zenova improves how patients feel or how long they live.

Intervention Type OTHER

Statement communicating uncertainty with treatment effect size

It is unknown whether patients with non-small cell lung cancer will notice an improvement with Zenova.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Adults 18 years of age and older
* Adults fluent in English
* Adults residing in the United States
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Harvard Medical School / Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

London School of Economics and Political Science

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Avi Cherla

Role: CONTACT

16172011718

Facility Contacts

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Avi Cherla

Role: primary

617-201-1718

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol, Statistical Analysis Plan, and Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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540788

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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