Q: I've been offered a place in a clinical trial of a possible improvement of my level of function after SCI. How can I judge whether to go into it?

A: You need to be properly informed about the possible risks and potential benefits of the trial.

A checklist has been developed with the support of the International Campaign for Cures for spinal cord injury Paralysis (ICCP; www.campaignforcure.org as part of an ongoing initiative to ensure people are well informed about the risks and potential consequences of any new treatment.

The checklist has questions that potential participants should ask before agreeing to go into experimental treatments, and gives answers that should be given by the team conducting the trial. The questions include areas relating to safety, possible benefits; preclinical evidence; the clinical trial protocol; participation in other trials; payments and costs; and independent assessment of the treatment and investigator.

Click here to download the document.