Subjective experience and attitudes towards participation in clinical trials among patients with anxiety disorders

Fifty-two subjects with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were interviewed 12-18 months after they completed an acute treatment study (9-11 weeks) with alprazolam followed by blind and controlled drug discontinuation. Patients were questioned about the severity of their anxiety disorder and degree of functional impairment at the time of follow-up, as well as about their subjective experience as participants in a clinical trial. At the time of follow-up 78% of the patients reported none or minimal anxiety symptoms and 89% had none or only minimal functional deficit, as compared to 100% reporting moderate to severe anxiety symptoms and 57% reporting significant functional deficit before entering the study. Overall, patients felt that the participation in the study was a very positive and beneficial experience and 64% said they would not hesitate to participate in a clinical trial in the future.