Clinical Trials 

Clinical Trials at Geisinger Health System

At Geisinger, you can expect the best and latest innovations in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Our 24-year alliance with the National Cancer Institute’s Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) — a network of community physicians, research centers and hospitals across the United States — allows us to offer large-scale clinical trials to patients near the comforts of home.

Clinical trials provide opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of new ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer. The National Cancer Institute approves, oversees and provides funding for a large percentage of clinical trials conducted in the United States each year. Geisinger’s membership provides patients with access to valuable clinical trials – without the burden and expense of traveling to a major metropolitan area.

As a result, you receive excellent care locally from the Geisinger Cancer Services team. Clinical trials for cancer may involve preventive measures and treatments, including drugs, forms of radiation and chemotherapy, experimental surgery techniques or even alternative medicine. Your physician can present you with options and help you determine if a clinical trial may be right for you.

Through the CCOP, patients have access to Phase I, II and III trials.

• Phase I tests the safety of new treatments
• Phase II tests the effectiveness of treatments
• Phase III tests new treatments against the current care standard

Involvement in a clinical trial presents minimal risks. The FDA, the National Cancer Institute and Geisinger’s dedicated medical team monitor all trials.

For information on the National Cancer Institute’s Community Clinical Oncology Program, visit the National Cancer Institute clinical trials website. You can also find information on clinical trials from the American Cancer Society.  Talk to your physician about the current clinical trials available at Geisinger.