Are you considering participation in a clinical trial?
Patients participate in clinical trials for a variety of reasons. For patients who have already tried numerous therapies, trials offer an opportunity to try new medications well in advance of their arrival in the market. In clinical trials, medications are offered at no cost for the duration of the study (or even longer). Finally, some studies offer financial compensation for patients’ time.
Who can participate?
Research: Participate
Studies in clinical trials are often planned around specific research questions. To answer these questions, researchers will place restrictions on patients’ age, sex, severity of disease, previous treatment history, or other previous/current medical conditions. We make some of this information available online in the description of the enrolling study. For more information, feel please contact us via phone (310-337-7171) or use our contact form.
Your Rights & Safety
Patients’ rights and safety are in no way compromised by enrolling in a clinical trial. When studies are designed, a detailed set of procedures (called the study protocol) are submitted to an Institutional Review Board composed of physicians and lay people who examine the study protocol to ensure that the patient’s rights are protected and that the study does not present undue or unnecessary risk to the patient. Additionally, all participants are given an “informed consent” form, which details the nature of the study and the risks involved. Finally, study participants always have the right to leave a study at any time.
Common Questions
We always encourage our patients to ask questions! If you are considering participating in a trial but aren’t sure what questions you should ask to make an informed decision, here are some common questions:
- How long will the trial last?
- What treatments will be used and how?
- What is the primary purpose of the trial?
- What risks are involved?
- What are the possible benefits?
- How will patient safety be monitored?
- What alternative treatments exist already?
- Do I have to pay for any part of the trial?
- Will I be able to continue this treatment after the trial is concluded?
More Information
We recommend reading An Introduction to Clinical Trials at The National Institute of Health website, which provides detailed information for patients considering participating in a clinical trial.
