Clinical Trial Expectations

Clinical trials are also known as clinical studies.  A clinical trial is supposed to answer a specific question through research that is designed to benefit future patients.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires pharmaceutical companies to conduct these trials to make sure medical treatments are safe and effective for people. These trials are carefully supervised and follow a protocol that describes what type of patients may enter a study  and how the clinical trial will be conducted. 

Participants in clinical trials have access to therapies that may not be widely available to the general public. Participants also help by contributing to medical science. This can help improve the treatment for many people that suffer from chronic conditions. Clinical research offers free physical exams, study related medical testing, and study medication. Often compensation is provided for time and travel. 

Each clinical trial has strict guidelines in regards to who can participate in the trial. Factors such as age, gender, type and stage of disease, previous and current treatments, and other medical conditions are taken in to determine if a person will qualify for a study. 

There is no cost to participate in a study or for study-related physican visits or medication. 

The benefit of participating in a trial is to gain access to new treatments and medications,  help others by contributing to medical science, and access to healthcare for trial related conditions along with possible compensation. 

Risks of participating includes time that is consumed in the study, side effects from experimental treatment, or the experimental treatment not being effective.