Trials

[Shnoogy]

How do I find out about trials?...will my doc tell me and ask if thats something I'm interested in them or do I have to find them for myself?...Im just wonderinf...my doc is already looking into getting me started on treatment but I was wondering if the drugs in the trials could be better

[epiphiny]

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=%22Hepatitis+C%22

You can see what is happening there.  You could also make your doc aware that you would like to be considered for a trial.  

When my first treatment failed I told the docs I wanted to "donate my living body to medical research".  Lol, I was feeling a little dramatic!  Anyway, I would go to my 6 monthly follow up appointments and every time I was there I would ask about any new trials coming up.

Once the docs knew I was serious it was just a question of timing for the right trial to come along for me.

[GreatBird]

My doctor told me who to contact at the two nearby hospitals that engage in clinical trials and I did. One didn't work out. The other came through--somewhat unexpectedly I might add, since we'd moved out of the area and I'd never heard back from them after emailing them months before. But that's the trial I'm on now.

There is a place on the internet ( http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ ) that lists clinical trials. You might start by taking a look there.

You definitely need to do your own research before getting started. One thing you can do is use the search function here and see what people are saying about the trials that they are on. Two of the most promising drugs right now are the protease inhibitors Telaprevir and Boceprevir. I'm on a Boceprevir for treatment naive 1's.