What is a multi-centre trial?

With a comparatively rare disease, it would not be feasible to accrue sufficient numbers of patients to conduct a trial in a single centre. Hence the need for multi-centre trials, such as are conducted within UKCCSG, and these may be national or international.

Multi-centre trials have the advantage that patient accrual is quicker so that the trial can be made larger and/or the intended size is reached more quickly. The end result should be that a multi-centre trial reaches more reliable conclusions at a faster rate so that overall progress in the treatment of a disease is enhanced. By involving patients from several centres, any conclusions have a broader more representative base than can be reached in a single centre. The conduct of multi-centre trials has implications for: complex administration and planning; expensive so need to ensure adequate funding; need for good communication and standardisation between all participants.

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