What are clinical studies?
Clinical studies are scientific studies which seek to find better ways to understand and provide therapies to treat disease in certain groups of people. Clinical studies produce data which is used to make decisions about health care therapies.
Clinical study benefits and risks:
What are the potential benefits and risks of taking part in a clinical study? The potential benefits and risks are reviewed thoroughly with patients through an Informed Consent process and may include the following:
Potential study benefits:
- Patients may gain access to an investigational drug before it is available to everyone.
- Patients may play a more active role in their own health care.
- Researchers may provide patients with medical care and more frequent health check-ups as part of their participation in the study.
- Patients may have the chance to help others get better therapies for their health problems in the future.
Potential study risks:
- The investigational drug may cause side effects.
- The investigational drug may not be effective.
- The investigational drug may not be better than standard treatment.
- There may be other risks which are reviewed with patients during the consenting process.