| Q. |
What is a
clinical trial? |
| A. |
A
clinical trial is a research study on human volunteers
to answer specific health questions. Carefully
conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest
way to find treatments that work for people and ways
to improve health.
|
| Q. |
Why should I participate
in a clinical trial? |
| A. |
By
participating in a clinical trial, you can play a more
active role in your own health, gain access to new research
treatments before they are widely available, and help
others by contributing to medical research.
|
| Q. |
Who can participate in
a clinical trial? |
| A. |
All
clinical trials have guidelines about who can participate.
These guidelines are based on such factors as age, gender,
the type and stage of a disease or condition, previous
treatment history, and other medical conditions.
Before joining a clinical trial, a participant must
qualify for the study. Some research studies seek
participants with illnesses or conditions to be studied
in the clinical trial, while others need healthy participants.
|
| Q. |
What happens during a
clinical trial? |
| A. |
The
clinical trial process depends on the kind of trial
being conducted. The clinical trial team includes
doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
They check the health of the participant at the beginning
of the trial; give specific instructions for participants
in the trial; monitor the participant carefully during
the trial; and stay in touch after the trial is completed
for some period of time.
|
| Q. |
What is informed consent? |
| A. |
Informed
consent is the process of learning the key facts about
a research study before deciding whether or not to participate.
It is also a continuing process throughout the study
to provide information for participants.
|
| Q. |
How is the safety of the
participant protected? |
| A. |
The
ethical and legal codes that govern medical practice
also apply to clinical trials.
|
| Q. |
Can a participant leave
a research study after it has begun? |
| A. |
Yes.
A participant can leave a research study at any time.
|
| Q. |
What is a protocol? |
| A. |
A
protocol is a study plan on which a research project is
based. The plan is designed to safeguard the health
of the participants as well as answer specific research
questions.
|
| Q. |
What is a placebo? |
| A. |
A
placebo is an inactive pill, liquid, or powder that
has no treatment value. In clinical trials, experimental
treatments are often compared with placebos to evaluate
the treatment's effectiveness.
|
