You’ve probably seen the notice on the bulletin board, while idly surveying the waiting room during your regular oncologist visit. “Are you a postmenopausal woman with ER-receptive early stage breast cancer?” Or the message might be more succinct: “Clinical Trial.” These recruitment posters are seeking volunteers willing to be the human guinea pigs on which new drugs (or new methods of treatment) are tested.

Why would YOU want to be a human guinea pig? Why not let someone else take the...