A clinical trial is a research study in which volunteers receive investigational treatments under the supervision of a physician and other research professionals. These treatments are developed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies who select qualified physicians, also known as investigators, to conduct clinical trials to determine the benefits of investigational drugs.
Before enrolling in a clinical trial, a volunteer must qualify for the study. The factors that allow volunteers to participate in a clinical trial are called “inclusion criteria” and the factors that disallow volunteers from participating are called “exclusion criteria.” These criteria can include age, gender, the type and stage of a disease, previous treatment history, and other medical conditions.
Some research studies seek participants with specific illnesses or conditions to be studied in a clinical trial, while others require healthy participants. It is important to note that inclusion and exclusion criteria are used to identify appropriate participants, promote participants’ safety, and ensure that researchers learn the information they need.
Individuals considering participating in a clinical trial should talk with their physicians and medical caregivers about it.
A brochure provided by http://www.centerwatch.com/, which contains information about volunteering for a clinical trial, is available by clicking on the link below:
http://centerwatch.com/pdfs/volunteering-brochure.pdf
For additional information and resources related to clinical trials, please visit:
http://centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/overview.aspx
http://centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/volunteering.aspx
http://centerwatch.com/health-resources/glossary/
For additional information about participating in clinical trials, please click on the link below, which will take you to ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Visit ClinicalTrials.gov
