Decoding Clinical Trial Terms: Arms
If you are considering enrolling in a clinical trial or are reading clinical trial results, you may see unfamiliar terms about different types of clinical trials. This month, we continue our series about clinical trial terms by discussing what an “arm” means and the difference between a “control” and “experimental” arm. The control arm often receives the standard of care. In Metastatic Trial Search, we use the term “groups” rather than “arms”.
- Stand Up to Cancer (video): This video describes arms that may be used in cancer clinical trials
- Friends of Cancer Research: Definition of the different types of arms commonly used in clinical trials
- University of Pennsylvania: Definition of “control group” and “experimental group” as well as many other terms