It doesn't have to be serious like schizophrenia or even life-threatening like cancer. You might simply have seasonal allergies. Or maybe you're worried about your worsening eyesight. Throughout the United States, such programs are advertised in newspapers, on the radio, and on the Internet. If any of these reasons might keep you from joining a study program, you're not alone.
Researchers regularly find that recruiting patients is the hardest part of any trial.
This dearth is usually not due to an insufficient patient population, but rather is a result of people simply not wanting to participate. The reasons for patient participation in clinical studies may seem less obvious than the benefits to physicians who conduct the research. In the case of Phase I trials, which require normal, healthy volunteers, the only benefit for the participant beyond altruism is financial, and the risks can be significant. But once the research moves into diseased populations, the risks and benefits, from a patient perspective, become less certain. In general, patients with terminal diseases have physicians who are well versed in clinical trials and can help them quickly recognize the potential benefits of participating in such programs.