clinical research

Thanks to clinical research, the King Albert II Institute offers its patients the most recent treatments and contributes to advancing research in the fight against cancer. Some sixty clinical research protocols are underway at the King Albert II Institute of the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc.

What is clinical research ?

Clinical research offers patients the opportunity to test new molecules or combinations of molecules before they are put on the market. These are clinical trials proposed by the pharmaceutical industry but also studies initiated by clinicians at the King Albert II Institute.

The aim of these studies is twofold: on the one hand, to offer patients the most recent treatments, and on the other, to advance research in the fight against cancer.

Thanks to the high number of patients treated in our center and the expertise developed, the King Albert II Institute collaborates with a number of companies. Thus, patients are offered the opportunity to benefit from the latest treatments developed in pharmaceutical laboratories. These clinical trials are coordinated internally by doctors and medical clinical research coordinators responsible for patient follow-up and data collection. They are continuously monitored and meet internal and international quality criteria that ensure patient protection and the maintenance of a high standard of medical care.

How to participate in a clinical trial ?

Participation in a clinical trial is proposed by the doctor at the time of diagnosis of the disease, if the patient meets all the necessary criteria to be included in a trial. In order to give the patient the best possible information and answer any questions, the doctor organises a consultation to present the study and its progress. At the end of this consultation, the patient decides whether or not to participate in the trial. It is important to note that the patient's "informed consent", a document that indicates the patient's willingness to participate in a trial, can be withdrawn at any time if the patient wishes to stop the trial and receive standard care.

Clinical trials are now under the strict supervision of ethics committees and continuous international monitoring to ensure that patients' rights are respected and that all information about the clinical trial is provided to the patient before he or she gives consent.

The medical clinical research coordinators, under the responsibility of the principal investigator of the study and the general clinical research coordinator, ensure the organisation and coordination of clinical trials.

The MCRC is the point of contact for both the patient and the various parties involved in the research. It is responsible for the smooth running of the clinical trial for each patient, in partnership with the other professionals involved in the follow-up of the trial.