Explore the exciting world of clinical research and its pivotal role in driving medical advancement. Get acquainted with various therapeutic areas and job roles held by clinical researchers.
Volunteers for research studies are fully informed about its purpose, risks and benefits prior to making their decision about participation or decline.
What is a Clinical Research Study?
Clinical research is the branch of medical science which investigates whether new tests or treatments work safely and effectively for people. When medications, devices or procedures show promise in a lab setting they may move onto clinical trials which involve real people as part of an extended study that often lasts several years to complete.
Sometimes clinical trials focus on testing just one treatment; other times they look at multiple approaches at the same time. Each study follows a protocol which details what will occur during their trial and ensures participants’ protection without harm to themselves or anyone else involved in the research process. It also guides researchers as they collect and analyze the necessary data.
Clinical research involves some risk for participants, although this varies between studies. Some may pose little chance of harm while others could pose more. Before beginning any new clinical research studies, an Institutional Review Board or IRB evaluates its plan to make sure it’s safe. Furthermore, the IRB makes sure its risks balance well against its benefits.
Participating in clinical research studies is a personal choice; some participants find it improves their health while others do not experience any benefit at all. If you decide to join, the research team will collaborate closely with your physician in ensuring the study does not interfere with his or her care and does not interfere with ongoing treatments or regular medical needs.
Clinical research can take place anywhere from hospitals, clinics, research centres, universities or online. Studies may take place either personally or via phone and commitment periods can range from several days up to several years. The National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials and You website is an invaluable resource that can provide you with more information on clinical trials as well as key factors you should take into consideration before joining one.
Some may conflate clinical research with their medical care, particularly if their doctor doubles as the researcher. But these are two different processes; when you visit your physician they develop an individual plan tailored specifically to you while in clinical research studies the researcher follows a predetermined plan called the study protocol.
How do I find a Clinical Research Study?
Clinical research studies provide researchers with tools they need to find better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illness. There are various kinds of clinical studies conducted and each has its own purpose – some involve human participants while other may focus on cells, animals or tissue samples – helping turn basic research (done in laboratories) into new treatments and information that improve health for everyone.
Finding the appropriate study can be a difficult endeavor. To make things simpler for you, there are various websites and databases dedicated to making this easier – you can search using various criteria, including health condition or location; some even allow narrowing by age or gender! Once you find one of interest, be sure to carefully read its protocol summary: it outlines its goals as well as any risks or benefits involved with taking part.
MyLocalStudy allows users to quickly and easily discover enrolling studies near them by inputting their zip code or condition. Participation is completely voluntary and participation can even include information on how to speak to their physician about participating.
National Institutes of Health’s website Clinical Trials and You is another great source. With its searchable database containing trials being conducted by both themselves and other organizations, this resource also provides details regarding trial phases as well as details regarding specific studies.
Once an experimental treatment has passed preclinical testing, it moves onto clinical trial phase. At this point, researchers test it on groups of people to establish its safety and efficacy; results of clinical trials can significantly change how we provide care to our patients in the future.
Participating in a clinical trial that represents the diversity of our population is of vital importance in order for research findings to apply to as wide an audience as possible. Without diversity, it would be more challenging to understand why certain groups respond differently to medical therapies or how best to optimize therapy for all populations.
How do I participate in a Clinical Research Study?
Research and medical breakthroughs would not be possible without volunteers’ participation in clinical trials. By helping scientists learn more about how the human body functions and what causes diseases, your participation can provide scientists with crucial information that may result in new therapies which improve quality of life or even save your life.
Prior to enrolling in any research study, members of the research team must inform you about its purpose, the questions it seeks to answer, risks and benefits associated with your participation, as well as risks and rewards associated with taking part. This process is known as informed consent.
If you decide to participate, researchers will have you sign a form to demonstrate that you understand key facts of the study before scheduling your first visit. Depending on the study design, researchers might assign you either to a treatment or control group; those assigned as treatment receive experimental drugs or procedures being tested while those in control groups don’t. You will then continue visits as directed, reporting any side effects experienced and taking cognitive or physical tests as appropriate.
Clinical trials generally follow a specific set of rules and your doctor will ensure the trial does not interfere with your regular healthcare needs. Although most participants receive no financial compensation for taking part, many insurance providers cover all or some of your medical expenses while participating.
At Johns Hopkins Medicine, our research experts will carefully explain any study and its risks before you agree to participate. They’ll also answer any of your queries. Whether you have chronic conditions that need better treatments or simply wish to advance science through volunteerism, our researchers want to work with you!
Remember that withdrawing from any study at any time may not benefit your health and may restrict access to newer health treatments.
What are the benefits of participating in a Clinical Research Study?
Participating in Clinical Research and Clinical Trials can help scientists gain more insight into a disease or condition so doctors can develop more effective treatments, gain access to newly tested medications that might not yet be widely available, or receive access to new drugs before their public release date. Some countries pay participants for their contribution as well.
Clinical research takes two main forms – clinical trials that test new treatments for specific health problems and natural history studies that collect data over time on people to understand how diseases progress and affect health. Most types of clinical research involve some degree of risk to participants; the amount varies between studies. Researchers must adhere to stringent rules outlined in each protocol in order to keep volunteers safe; any new research must also be approved by an ethics board that includes both medical and non-medical experts prior to beginning.
Participant volunteers in clinical research studies are monitored closely by a team of doctors and nurses as well as sometimes by an evaluator specifically trained to evaluate their overall health. If any health issues arise during the course of a study, researchers immediately notify them so they can be watched carefully; should a volunteer become very sick during one, treatment will generally be provided as quickly as possible in order to restore good health quickly.
Some individuals choose to participate in clinical research studies because of the potential compensation available; this will typically be discussed before agreeing to participate. However, their primary motivation should always be contributing to medical knowledge advancement.
Volunteers for clinical research should do it voluntarily and free from external pressure, understanding all details regarding their study before agreeing to participate. The NIH Clinical Research Trials and You website provides volunteers with resources that help them make an informed decision that’s right for themselves.
