Frequently Asked Questions

A clinical trial is a research project conducted with men and women to determine if an investigational drug, device, or procedure is safe and effective. Some other words that describe clinical research are study, protocol, survey, or experiment.

Treatment trials test experimental treatments, new combinations of drugs, or new approaches. Prevention trials look for better ways to prevent disease in people who have never had the disease or to prevent a disease from returning. These approaches may include medicines, vitamins, vaccines, minerals, or lifestyle changes. Diagnostic trials are conducted to find better tests or procedures for diagnosing a particular disease or condition. Screening trials test the best way to detect certain diseases or health conditions.

When you participate in a clinical trial, you can play a more active role in your own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research.

All clinical trials have guidelines about who can participate. Often, clinical trials will list medical or other conditions that must be met in order to participate in a particular study. In addition, Comprehensive Clinical Trials encourages diversity in its clinical trial enrollments since the effects of diseases or conditions can vary with age, race, ethnicity, and gender.

Only the most promising new treatments make it to clinical trials, which are conducted to validate findings of this earlier research that indicated that the drug, device, or procedure. The trial, physicians, and medical staff will regularly and carefully monitor each participant to determine if the research is helpful and remains safe.

Each clinical trial has a well-documented plan, or protocol, about what you will need to do and what is expected. You will be fully informed about the plan and everything that is known about the benefits and risks of the research. You can ask any questions at any time. If you decide to be in the trial, you will be asked to sign an “informed consent” form and you will be provided a copy of that same consent form for your records.

Clinical trials vary in length. Some are as short as a few minutes in our office or as long as a few years. You will be fully informed about how long you need to participate.

Activities vary from one clinical trial to the next, but most require regular medical examinations. Some trials require taking either an approved or investigational drug, while others require a procedure. Sometimes you record information about how you are doing at home. You also may be asked to return for follow-up visits with the physician so he or she can evaluate whether the research is working and is safe.

Clinical trial costs are paid by the sponsor of the study or the research site. Our participants will never have to pay out of pocket for their participation in our studies.

If you agree to participate in a trial but later decide you want to drop out, you can do so with no change in your usual care.

The information participants provide for a clinical trial is confidential. However, Comprehensive Clinical Trials may be required by law to share your information in certain situations. If the information from the trial is published or presented at scientific meetings, your name and other personal information will not be used. The clinical trial sponsor, as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, also may review the research files and medical records.