Read more on who can participate, choosing a trial, etc.
Every year, thousands upon thousands of people take part in clinical research studies. Some of these studies need healthy volunteers and others need participants with a particular disease or condition. All participants are important because without them, the development of new medicines couldn’t continue.
All clinical trials have rules about who can participate, called Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria. Factors that allow someone to participate in a clinical trial are Inclusion Criteria. Those that disqualify someone from participating are called Exclusion Criteria. These criteria are based on things such as age, gender, the type and stage of a disease, previous treatment history, and other medical conditions.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria are developed with much thought and consideration. They are necessary to prove whether medicines work or not in a specific patient population and reduce risk by making sure the right participants enter the trial. These criteria are applied to all potential participants equally before they start the study.
Mentioned below are a basic set of guidelines which help you in choosing the appropriate clinical study to take part in.
Every clinical research study is unique. Anyone interested in participating in a clinical study should know as much as possible about the study and feel comfortable asking the research team questions about the study, the related procedures, and any expenses.
Prior to meeting with the research coordinator or doctor, plan ahead and write down possible questions to ask. You may also wish to discuss this decision with your family, friends, or doctor. Feel free to bring a friend or relative with you for support and to hear the responses to your questions.