Medical Oncologist
Clinical Trials & Access Programs
How to Find Cancer — Clinical Trials in India
A clinical trial can open treatment options not yet available through routine care. Two things stop most families from asking: fear of receiving a placebo, and fear of the cost. Both are worth examining before you decide.
Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed August 2026
- Placebos are rare in cancer trials — ICMR ethics guidelines require that cancer trial participants receive at minimum the best available standard care.
- Most treatment costs are covered — The trial sponsor typically pays for the investigational drug and all protocol-required tests. Travel and accommodation may not be included.
- India has a public trial registry — The Clinical Trials Registry — India (CTRI), maintained by ICMR, lists every registered trial that is open to patients.
- You can withdraw at any time — Joining a trial is voluntary. You can leave at any stage without affecting your access to other care at the same centre.
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Cancer clinical trials in India are registered on the CTRI, India's national registry run by ICMR. Search by cancer type, then ask your oncologist whether you qualify. Most trial-related treatment costs are covered by the sponsor. Pure placebo controls are uncommon in cancer trials — you almost always receive active treatment.
Will you get a placebo instead of real treatment?
This is the fear that stops most families from asking. In cancer trials, pure placebo controls — where one group receives no active treatment at all — are rarely used and are generally not permitted when an effective standard treatment exists.
ICMR ethics guidelines and CDSCO regulations require that participants receive at minimum the current standard of care. In practice, most cancer trials compare a new treatment added to standard care against standard care alone, or compare two active treatments against each other.
Before any trial begins, your team will explain exactly what each group receives. Ask them to walk through both arms of the trial so you know precisely what you would and would not be getting.
What are the different phases of a clinical trial?
| Phase | What it tests | Who it typically suits | What is already known |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Safety and the right dose of a new treatment | Often patients who have completed standard options | Limited — this is early testing in your cancer type |
| Phase 2 | Whether the treatment works in your cancer type | Patients meeting specific eligibility criteria | Some safety data; how well it works is still being measured |
| Phase 3 | How the new treatment compares to current standard care | Broader population with defined eligibility criteria | Strong safety data; Phase 2 results showed enough promise to proceed |
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How do you find and join a clinical trial in India?
Search the CTRI
The Clinical Trials Registry — India is a free, publicly searchable database. Search by cancer type or disease name. Every trial legally required to be registered in India appears here, including trials at private hospitals and academic centres.
Note the trial ID and recruiting sites
Each listing shows the trial phase, the sites where it is recruiting, and the principal investigator. Note which sites are geographically feasible for you before contacting anyone.
Ask your oncologist
Bring the CTRI number to your next appointment. Your oncologist can check whether your diagnosis, stage, and treatment history match the eligibility criteria, which vary widely between trials and are not always clear from the public listing.
Contact the trial site's research coordinator
Each participating site has a research coordinator who handles patient enquiries. They will tell you whether the trial is still recruiting and explain what the screening process involves.
Attend a screening visit
Screening confirms through tests and a records review that you meet the eligibility criteria. You are not enrolled until screening is complete and you are satisfied with what you have been told.
Read the informed consent document before signing
You receive a full written explanation of what the trial involves, which costs are covered, and your right to withdraw at any time. Nothing starts until every question you have is answered and you have signed the form.
Will joining a trial cost your family more money?
The trial sponsor — a pharmaceutical company, a research institution, or a government body — typically covers the cost of the investigational treatment and all tests required by the trial protocol. You should not pay for the drug being studied.
What may not be covered is travel to the trial site, overnight accommodation, and investigations your oncologist orders outside the trial protocol. Ask the research coordinator for a written breakdown of what is and is not included before you agree to proceed.
Some academic and government-sponsored trials also provide a travel allowance. It is a reasonable question to ask, and the coordinator expects it.
Did you know?
India's national ethics framework, overseen by ICMR, requires that every trial involving human participants be registered on the CTRI before recruitment begins. This means you can independently verify that a trial is legitimate — and check its current status — before engaging with any centre.
Asking your oncologist whether a trial exists for your cancer type costs nothing. The answer is not always yes, but it is always worth asking.
Source: ICMR National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants
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- Planning a Holiday Around Your Treatment Schedule
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- Should You Tell Your Employer About Your Cancer Diagnosis?
- Sick Leave and Employment Rights for Cancer Patients in India
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Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is there any risk of getting a sugar pill instead of cancer treatment?
This is rarely how cancer trials work. ICMR ethics guidelines require that participants receive at minimum the current standard of care, so a pure placebo arm is generally not permitted when an effective treatment exists. Most cancer trials compare a new treatment added to standard care against standard care alone, or compare two active regimens. The informed consent document you receive before enrolment will describe exactly what both groups receive, in plain language. Ask your team to explain both arms before you sign anything.
Can I leave the trial if I change my mind?
Yes. Participation is voluntary at every stage. You can withdraw your consent at any time, for any reason, and it will not affect your access to routine care at the same centre. Your treating team cannot penalise you for leaving. The right to withdraw is a condition of every ICMR-approved trial. If you decide to leave, tell the research coordinator so they can complete the necessary documentation and discuss your next steps for ongoing treatment.
Do I need my oncologist to refer me, or can I approach a trial directly?
You can search the CTRI yourself and contact a trial site directly — no formal referral is required. In practice, your oncologist's involvement makes the process faster and safer, because they can check whether your diagnosis and treatment history actually match the eligibility criteria before you travel anywhere. Eligibility criteria are detailed and not always obvious from the public listing. Bringing the CTRI number to your next appointment is the most efficient first step.
What is the CTRI and how do I use it?
The Clinical Trials Registry — India is a public database maintained by ICMR. It lists every clinical trial legally required to be registered in India. Use the search function to filter by disease type or keyword. Each listing shows the trial phase, the hospitals or centres participating, the principal investigator, and a summary of the eligibility criteria. The registry is free and open to patients and families — no login is needed to search it.
If a trial is at a centre far from me, is there any way to still participate?
Some trials allow follow-up visits at a closer centre once initial screening and enrolment are completed at the main site. Ask the research coordinator whether a satellite or shared-care arrangement is possible before you assume you must travel for every appointment. CION has centres across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and if a trial is running at a CION site, your care team can discuss whether visits can be structured around where you live. Not all trials allow this flexibility, but it is always worth asking.