PAN advocate Bill Allen talked to The Good Men Project about his clinical trial experience
The Good Men Project interviewed Bill Allen, PAN grant recipient and patient advocate who dedicates his time to PAN’s Patient and Family Advocacy Council, about his personal experience in clinical trials and living with prostate cancer.
In his interview, Allen discussed how an annual health exam for men over 50 revealed a prostate cancer diagnosis, and how he had to decide on a treatment plan when faced with a range of therapies, as well as anxiety and uncertainty.
During a radiation treatment following surgery, one of his clinicians asked if he was interested in participating in a clinical research study testing several drugs that could mitigate side effects and prevent the spread of cancer.
“I had some reservations, especially being an African American man,” he explains in the interview. “I was aware of the troubling history of clinical trials that adversely affected African Americans.” Despite his concerns, he decided to participate in the clinical trial. “I wanted to do everything I could to prevent the cancer from spreading.”
Preventing the spread of prostate cancer can involve taking medications, including hormone therapy and oral chemotherapy, for years to help minimize a rise in the patient’s prostate-specific antigen levels. Allen’s out-of-pocket medication cost was around $15,000 per bottle with his Medicare plan. His medical professionals introduced him to patient financial assistance at the PAN Foundation, and today Allen is a PAN grant recipient.
Allen stated that he is, “grateful for organizations like PAN, whose mission is to help individuals with diseases by covering the cost of medications that would otherwise be unaffordable.”
The article also mentions PAN’s Opening Doors to Clinical Trials initiative, including a recent poll that revealed 83% of people of color and 86% of LGBTQIA+ respondents view clinical trials positively, but many have never been invited to participate despite showing interest. Bill Allen’s clinical trials story highlights how clinical trial participation can affect positive health outcomes for patients when clinicians present their patients with opportunities.
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