Health Awareness

Understanding Clinical Trials in Cancer: A Booklet for the LGBTIQ+ Community

November 2026

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This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, MSD and OUTpatients launch a new clinical trials resource for the LGBTIQ+ community

Understanding cancer treatment options, including clinical trials, can often feel overwhelming for patients, carers and loved ones.

This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the importance of ensuring everyone has access to clear, inclusive information about cancer care and clinical trials, helping people feel informed, supported and empowered to make decisions about their care.

That’s why MSD has partnered with OUTpatients, the UK’s LGBTIQ+ cancer charity, to co-create Understanding Clinical Trials in Cancer: A Booklet for the LGBTIQ+ Community.

Developed with and for the LGBTIQ+ community, the booklet aims to help people better understand clinical trials and feel more confident discussing their treatment options with their healthcare team.

The booklet includes:

  • Practical guidance on clinical trial options
  • Clear definitions and explanations
  • Helpful insights from healthcare professionals
  • Answers to common questions
  • Tick-box prompts to support conversations with healthcare teams

By providing clear, inclusive information, the booklet aims to help people feel informed, ask questions with confidence, and take an active role in decisions about their care.

As Catherine Breen (she/her), Senior Clinical Trials Pharmacist, explains:

“Representation from LGBTIQ+ people in clinical research improves the variety of data collected. Using scientific methods to address the specific needs of LGBTIQ+ people means that outcomes and recommendations are reliable.”

Because everyone deserves information that is inclusive, empowering, and reflects their experiences.

This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we’re proud to support access to information that helps more people understand their options, feel represented in their care, and have informed conversations with their healthcare team.

Download the booklet to learn more about clinical trials in cancer and the support available.

GB-NON-13509 | October 2026