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Upholds Ethical Considerations
The Core Principle
Enrolling patients in a study that is unlikely to be completed or to yield meaningful results is ethically untenable. Patients volunteer their time and assume potential risks to advance science.
Why It's Critical
A thorough feasibility assessment is a crucial ethical checkpoint, ensuring their contribution is respected and valued, and not wasted on a trial destined to fail due to poor planning.
Real-World Impact
A proposed trial for a pediatric condition has a painful and frequent biopsy procedure. Feasibility discussions with pediatricians and parents reveal the procedure would be too traumatic for children. The protocol is changed to use a less invasive blood test, protecting child participants from unnecessary harm.