Choosing to Participate in a Clinical Trial

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Why do people participate in clinical trials? Choosing to become a part of a clinical trial is an important personal decision and one that must be carefully considered. Talk it over with your family, friends and personal physician. Talk to members of the research study staff and ask them questions about what you will need to do to fulfill the obligations of the study and how long you will be required to participate.

Participating in a clinical trial have definite benefits and risks.

The benefits include having the opportunity to:

• Play an active role in your own health care.
• Gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available.
• Obtain expert medical care at a leading health care facility.
• Help others by contributing to medical research.

The risks include the possibility that the treatment may:

• Have unpleasant, serious or even life-threatening side effects.
• Be ineffective.
• Require more of time and attention than you might expect or that might be required with conventional treatment.

However, prior to participation in any clinical trial, the risks and benefits are clearly explained to you, so you will have can decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks. This is called informed consent.