Compassionate drug use means making a new drug, which is still in clinical trials, available to treat a seriously ill patient when no other treatments are available. This is different from the use of drugs as part of a clinical trial, which is called Investigational Use. Such drugs are only available to patients who are taking part in a clinical trial. Being able to use one of these drugs when the patient is not part of a clinical trial is commonly referred to as compassionate drug use.
Doctors and patients wishing to use CAR T-Cell Immunotherapies for solid tumours can do so under a special process called Compassionate Drug Use.
