Before a new medication is tried with volunteer patients, it is studied in the laboratory and determined to hold promise as a safe, effective treatment for illness. Volunteers undergo regular medical care, exams, and tests, which require visits to a doctor's office or hospital. Medical services, medications, even transportation are provided. Patients who participate in clinical trials have first access to new treatments. Often they receive study medications and medical care at no cost.
Many volunteers hope for successful results by trying a new treatment.
Every study has specific criteria that determines who is eligible to volunteer, such as requirements about volunteers age, gender, or general health. The study coordinator can tell you specifically about what factors may be considered for eligibility. Clinical research is regulated and monitored by the Food and Drug Administration to protect volunteers safety. In addition, an independent group of community members, called an Institutional Review Board, oversees all the procedures of a clinical trial to protect patient safety, risk, and confidentiality. While a drug is still under investigation, the effects of it both good and bad are not fully known.