In a trial, the following occurs:
- Staff from the study will explain the trial in detail and collect more information about you.
- You sign an informed consent form once you have had all of your questions answered and agree to participate.
- You are checked to ensure that you are eligible for the trial.
- If you are accepted into the trial, you will schedule your first appointment (the “baseline” visit). During this visit, the researchers conduct cognitive and physical testing.
- You are allocated to either a treatment or a control group at random.
- You and your family members adhere to the study procedures and notify researchers of any issues or concerns.
You are welcome to visit the study location regularly for new cognitive, physical, or other examinations and discussions with staff. During these visits, the study team gathers information regarding the intervention’s effects and your safety and well-being.
Throughout the study, you continue to see your normal doctor for routine health care.
Where may I look for a clinical trial?
There are numerous resources available to assist you in searching for a clinical study. You should consult your doctor or another health care practitioner. Alternatively, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search. You can join a registry or a matching service to be connected with trials in your region. Clinical research is sometimes listed in support groups and websites that focus on a specific ailment. You may also notice advertisements for trials in your area in the newspaper or television.
What should I do now that I’ve found a clinical trial?
Contact the clinical trial or study coordinator when you identify a study that you think you might be interested in. This contact information is normally included in the study’s description. The first step is to schedule a screening appointment to check if you can participate. This appointment also allows you to ask questions concerning the study.
Inform your doctor that you are considering participating in a clinical trial. They may wish to discuss your health with the research team to ensure that the study is safe for you and coordinate your treatment while enrolled.
How do researchers choose who will take part?
Following your consent, you will be screened by clinical professionals to check if you meet the requirements for participation in the trial and if anything would preclude you from participating. Cognitive and physical tests may be administered as part of the screening process.
Age, disease stage, sex, genetic profile, family history, and whether or not you have a study partner who can accompany you to future appointments are all possible inclusion criteria for a trial. Exclusion criteria may include specific health conditions or drugs that may conflict with the studied treatment.
To obtain adequate volunteers for a study, many volunteers must be screened. In general, you can only engage in one trial or research at a time. However, because the criteria for each study differ, being disqualified from one does not necessarily imply exclusion from another.
