Two randomized trials of effect of communicating uncertainties about benefits and risks of new cancer drugs

Cancer drugs are frequently approved based on uncertain benefits and risks that are not communicated to patients. Pooled analysis of two randomized trials evaluated the effect of communicating uncertainties about the benefits and risks of new cancer drugs on changes in individuals’ hypothetical decisions to take the drug. Both trials recruited online a demographically diverse sample of US adults (n=6272). Learning about common uncertainties with a new cancer drug’s benefits and risks reduced hypothetical decisions to take the drug by 10.1 percentage points (p<0.001). Hypothetical decisions to take the drug decreased with each additional uncertainty. The authors conclude that in this demographically diverse sample of US adults, learning about uncertainties reduced hypothetical decisions to take a new cancer drug.