Why Join a Clinical Research Study?
People participate in clinical studies to contribute to new medical discoveries, take an active role in their health care, or access new treatments before they're widely available. Volunteers can be healthy individuals or those with medical problems.
People in Research Studies
All sorts of people join these studies for many reasons.
- Healthy Volunteers are people who don't have any major health issues. If you're a healthy volunteer, you give researchers important information that they can use to compare with others or learn about the safety of new treatments. Even though they might not get any direct benefit, they do it to help others and move science forward.
- Patient Volunteers are people who have health problems and join a study to test out new treatments, take control of their health, or help us learn more about their condition. They might or might not get better from the study, but the goal is to find out if a treatment really works.
Scientists have to follow rules to decide who can join their study. These rules make sure it's safe for you. Each study is different in who can participate, so you may need to talk to a member of the team if you are interested in joining a study.
Understanding the Risks
Clinical research can have risks. While some of the risks are small, other risks can be more serious. Some research participants may experience side effects that require medical attention. It is rare for people to be seriously injured or die from complications related to clinical trial participation. When considering whether to participate in a clinical trial, it’s important to understand:
- The kinds of risks for a particular study.
- The seriousness of the risks or possible harm.
- The chance of that risk or harm happening.
The risks of a specific research study are described in detail in an informed consent form, which is explained to participants by the research team or doctor before the participant decides to volunteer for the study. The research team will also explain the reason for the study and what will happen while you are in it and will answer any questions you have.
Questions to Consider Before Volunteering for a Study
Learning about the study, including its risks and benefits, can help you figure out if joining a clinical trial or research study is a good choice for you. The research team is there to answer any questions you have before making your decision.
Although each study is unique, here is a list of questions you might want to get answers to before you agree to join. Feel free to print this list or have it ready when you chat with the research team.