Understanding Clinical Research Trials and the Reasons to Participate in One
Clinical trials look at new methods of preventing, detecting, and treating diseases, especially those that have no known cure. These are part of clinical research where health care professionals and volunteers come together to find answers through research and experiments.
Clinical trials are at the heart of all medical advances but also look at other aspects of health care, such as helping improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses.
The idea behind clinical research study is to develop new therapies or procedures in a laboratory. They are then tested on animals and moved into clinical trials when an experimental treatment proves promising.
Clinical trials are conducted in phases where more information about an experimental treatment is gained, along with risks and data of effectiveness.
Why should people participate in clinical trials?
Different people participate in a clinical research – healthy or sick. There are plenty of reasons that they volunteer, depending on their conditions.
A healthy volunteer participates in clinical trials to:
- Test a new drug or device
- Determine the outcome of an intervention
- Help define the limits of what is considered normal or provide a baseline for study
- Serve as controls for patient groups, providing data that helps investigators compare patients with healthy volunteers
A patient volunteer participates in clinical trials to:
- Help better understand, diagnose, cure, or treat a condition or disease
- Help develop new knowledge about a disease
- Prove by scientific means an experimental treatment’s effects and limitations
Both healthy and patient volunteers play a significant role in clinical trials. They also gain benefits in the process, although in different ways. Clinical research, however, may or may not benefit the study participants. Not everyone is eligible to participate either.
Understanding the Potential Benefits and Risks of Participating in a Clinical Research
A clinical trial that is well-designed and well-executed can bring benefits to study participants.
- They will have an active role in their healthcare
- Get an opportunity to contribute to medical research
- Have access to new research treatments before anyone else does
- Receive a different level of medical attention, what with the need for regular and careful studies by a research team
Of course, there are risks that come with the benefits. In clinical research, a participant must take the bad with the good and there is no other way around it, except to opt out of the clinical study.
- Side effects that may be unpleasant or even life-threatening
- Requires more of your time and attention than a standard treatment, including an extended hospital stay and dosage requirements that are more complex.
This is why you need to think long and hard before you participate in a clinical trial. Do your own research and make sure to ask the right questions.
What to Consider When Offered To Participate in a Clinical Research
- Purpose of the study
- Effectiveness of the approach researchers will use
- People who reviewed and approved the study
- Length of the clinical study
- Benefits you will gain as a participant, both short-term and long-term
- Risks related to the study, both short-term and long-term
You also need to think about the participation and care procedure. Personal issues that may arise while research is underway, and the cost to join should also be considered.
The National Institute of Clinical Research is an SMO/CRO with offices and labs in the following cities and states: New Jersey, North Carolina, Austin, San Diego, San Francisco, Bakersfield 93309, Fountain Valley 92708, Garden Grove 92840, Hacienda Heights 91745, Huntington Beach 92648, Las Vegas 89106, Long Beach 90806, Los Angeles 90048, Ontario 91762, Rosemead 91770, San Antonio 78207, Santa Ana 92704, Upland 91786, and Westminster 92683.
