Is the 1939 Cancer Act Fit for Purpose in the Modern Technology Era?
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Cancer, Cancer (Active Cancer, Meaning Not Being Cancer Free), of Any Stage and Involving Any Treatment/Care Regimen; i.e. Curative, Life-extending, or Palliative, Cancer (Solid Tumors), Cancer (With or Without Metastasis). Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United Kingdom
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
The 1939 Cancer Act in the UK (England \& Wales) prohibits advertising of cancer treatments to the public, by anyone but the NHS. The rise of the internet and social media presents new challenges to its enforcement and raises questions about unintended consequences for patients being treated for cancer. Through anonymous surveys, this study aims to understand how patients, healthcare professionals and industry professionals perceive technological changes and their implications for online and social media cancer care information, as well as highlight opportunities for safe and ethical modernisation.
Detailed description
This study will be inviting patients who have recently received treatment for cancer to participate in a single survey, about their experiences of online and social media information during their cancer journey and their views on the current law. Healthcare professionals who work with cancer patients will also be invited to participate in their own variation of this survey.
Primary outcome measures
- Is the 1939 Cancer Act fit for purpose in the current digital era? [Time frame: The study will be open for 6 months]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Patients/Relatives:
- UK residents (England and Wales ONLY).
- Have been treated for a cancer within the last three years.
- Aged 18 or over.
- Can complete the survey themselves or have it completed on their behalf by a friend or family member (with the patient's permission).
Healthcare Professionals:
- UK-based professionals in the healthcare industry.
- Working with patients diagnosed with cancer.
- Consulting with patients at least once a month or more frequently.
- Aged 18 or over.
Exclusion criteria
No explicit exclusion criteria are defined within provided materials, therefore any individual not meeting the inclusion criteria will be excluded.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
Study locations
United Kingdom · 1 center
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust — Truro
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07584824 · 2526.RCHT.19 - V1.1