Clinical Research
Clinical research studies, also called clinical trials, are how doctors learn if an investigational medicine is safe and can be used to treat a disease and improve the health of people.
Clinical research studies, or clinical trials, are conducted to:
- Determine if a new medicine is safe and identify side effects;
- Study the effects of a new medicine and determine if it is effective in treating a disease;
- Provide critical information needed to submit new medicines to government agencies that determine if medicines can be prescribed to treat a disease; and
- Gather scientific evidence that has the potential to inform future patient care.
Choosing to participate in clinical research is a personal and individual decision.
The following factors are common motivations for participants:
Access an investigational medication
Learn more about their disease
Help advance science
Potentially help save or improve lives of other patients in the future
There are benefits and risks to participating in a clinical research study. As part of the informed consent process, the study doctor and team will review with you the benefits and risks of joining a clinical study.
Clinical Research Resources
- Should I Participate? Explains what clinical research studies are and lists questions to ask the study team.
- Participant Bill of Rights Know your rights before you decide to participate.
- What is a Placebo? Explains what a placebo is and why it is sometimes used in clinical research.
- Clinical Trials: What Patients Need to Know A hub of information produced by the federal government for patients and families about clinical studies, informed consent, diversity in studies, etc.
- Free 12 lesson course for patients with rare diseases to learn more about clinical research.
- Glossary of common terms and frequently asked questions for people who want to learn more about clinical trials
References
- DP, McGoon. "REVEAL: A Contemporary US Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Registry. - Pubmed - NCBI". Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov, 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22379169. Accessed 7 Mar 2019.
- "Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - NORD (National Organization For Rare Disorders)". NORD (National Organization For Rare Disorders), 2019, https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/pulmonary-arterial-hypertension/. Accessed 7 Mar 2019.
- "Genetic And Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – An NCATS Program | Providing Information About Rare Or Genetic Diseases". Rarediseases.Info.Nih.Gov, 2019, https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/. Accessed 7 Mar 2019.